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REG - System1 Group PLC - Interim Results

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RNS Number : 7786J  System1 Group PLC  02 December 2025

Press Release

2 December 2025

 

System1 Group PLC (AIM: SYS1)

("System1" or "the Group" or "the Company")

 
Unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2025

 

System1 Group www.system1group.com (http://www.system1group.com/) announces
its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2025
("H1", "H1 FY26").

 

 Statutory Basis               H1      H1      Change*

                               FY26    FY25
                               £m      £m      %
 Platform                      16.2    16.7    -3%
 Non-Platform                  0.9     1.6     -46%
 Total Revenue                 17.1    18.3    -7%
 Gross Profit                  14.9    16.0    -7%
 Operating Costs               (14.6)  (13.7)  7%
 Other Operating Income        -       0.3     -100%
 Profit before Taxation        0.3     2.6     -90%
 Income Tax Expense            (0.2)   (0.8)   -83%
 Profit for the Period         0.1     1.7     -94%
 Diluted Earnings per Share    0.9p    13.8p   -93%

 

* Percentages and totals are based on numbers rounded to £'000s

 

H1 Highlights
·      As previously announced on 23 September and further explained at the 22 October Capital Markets Day, the Company experienced lower, but ongoing, spend from many of its largest clients during H1, due to the wider macroeconomic uncertainty.
·      Continued revenue growth in the USA (+3%), and APAC (+11%). UK -9%, LatAm -5%. Year-on-year FX impacts in all non-UK regions reduced reported revenue growth by ca 2% overall.
·      Platform revenue declined 3% on H1 FY25 to £16.2m and represented 95% of total revenue (H1 FY25: 91%). Total revenue decreased by 7%.
·      New client revenue £3.4m in H1 (H1 FY25: £3.2m).

·      Innovation Revenue +26% on H1 FY25, Adtesting down by 10%.

 

·      Gross profit margin in line with H1 FY25 at 87.0% (H1 FY25: 87.3%).

·      Operating expenditure increased by 7% to £14.6m (H1 FY25:
£13.7m), due mainly to investment in future growth, with lower variable pay
mitigating the year-on-year increase.

 

·      Non-repetition of £0.3m H1 FY25 Other Operating Income relating
to sublease income on a former property lease and a trademark co-existence
agreement.

 

·      Share based payments charge of £0.1m (H1 FY25: credit of £0.1m). Adjusted Profit before Taxation(1) £0.3m (H1 FY25: £2.4m).
·      Cash balance of £10.8m as at 30 September 2025 (31 March 2025: £12.9m; 30 September 2024:  £8.9m).
·      £2.1m free cash outflow in H1 (H1 FY25: outflow of £0.3m) due mainly to the payment of bonuses earned in the previous financial year.

 

System1 CEO James Gregory commented:

"We have made good progress in the focus areas of Innovation, the USA and
winning with the world's largest brands - and this in the face of reduced
market research spend by a number of our large clients.

With further new client wins, and bookings in October and November that have
been stronger than we saw in H1, the Company continues to trade in line with
the guidance(2) we gave in the 23 September 2025 trading update."

 

 

(1) Adjusted Profit is Profit before Taxation excluding share-based payments

(2) For the purpose of this announcement, the guidance provided in the 23
September 2025 announcement was for FY26 Revenue to be broadly in line with
the £37m achieved in FY25, and Adjusted Profit beforeTaxation(1) in a range
between £2.0 to £2.5 million.

 

Further information on the Company can be found at www.system1group.com
(http://www.system1group.com/) .

 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7 of
the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as amended by regulation 11 of the
Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310. With the publication
of this announcement, this information is now considered to be in the public
domain.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 System1 Group PLC                         Tel: +44 (0)7467 990147
 James Gregory, CEO

 Chris Willford, CFO

 Canaccord Genuity Limited                 Tel: +44 (0)20 7523 8000
 Simon Bridges / Andrew Potts/ Harry Rees

 

 

Interim Statement

 

 

Financial Performance

 

 KPIs                                      H1 FY26                 H1 FY25
 Platform Revenue as a % of Total Revenue  95                      91
 Platform Revenue growth %                 (3)                     53
 Gross Profit % Revenue                    87.0                    87.3
 Adjusted EBITDA £m* (1)                   1.0                     3.0
 Adjusted EBITDA % Revenue                 6                       16
 "Rule of 40" (2)                                     3                       69
 Free cash flow(3)                         (2.1)                   (0.3)
 Net cash £m                               10.8                    8.9

(1) Statutory profit before taxation + share-based payments + interest,
depreciation and amortisation

(2) Platform Revenue growth % + Adjusted Group EBITDA % Group Revenue

(3) Cash flow after interest and payments for operating leases treated as
finance leases under IFRS 16, and before debt raising/reduction,
buybacks/dividends.

 

 

 Revenues                 Sep-25                Sep-24
                          Revenue               Revenue
                          £'000                 £'000

 By location of customer
 USA                            6,555           6,353
 LatAm                            1,110         1,171
 United Kingdom                 7,049           7,767
 Rest of Europe                 1,349           2,097
 APAC                             1,053         945
                                17,116          18,333

 

 By product variant
 Data ("Predict Your")                        13,429              13,365
 Data-led consultancy ("Improve Your")          2,801             3,334
 Platform revenue                             16,230              16,699
 Other consultancy (non-platform)                  886            1,634
                                              17,116              18,333

 By product group
 Communications (Ad Testing)                   14,317             15,874
 Brand (Brand Tracking)                          1,152            1,148
 Innovation                                      1,647            1,311
                                               17,116             18,333

 

 

Total revenue decreased by 7% on H1 FY25 to £17.1m and Platform revenue
declined 3% to £16.2m, representing 95% of total revenue (H1 FY25: 91%).
 Within Platform revenue Data was flat year on year at £13.4m and Data-led
consultancy decreased by 16% from £3.3m to £2.8m.  In the US total revenue
increased by 3% to £6.6m and US platform revenue by 11% to £6.0m. APAC
continued to grow strongly, up 11% on the comparable prior-year period.
Continental Europe was 36% lower year on year despite improving quarter on
quarter, with LatAm and the UK down on H1 FY25 by 5% and 9% respectively. The
reported reduction in LatAm revenue was entirely due to currency movements;
the UK outturn reflected lower but ongoing spend by existing clients due to
the wider macroeconomic uncertainty. The rest of Europe, particularly for
automotive and luxury goods clients, was severely affected by global tariff
uncertainty in the first quarter, but trading in that region has improved
steadily since then.

 

Ad testing (Comms) revenue decreased by 10% to £14.3m. Brand was flat on H1
FY25 at £1.2m, with Innovation growing by 26% over the same period to £1.6m
following significant and accelerated investment as we continue to develop and
enhance the offering.

 

Our fame-building, products and partnerships helped the Company to win 160 new
platform clients in H1 (H1 FY25: 161).  Noteworthy initiatives in H1
included:

 

·      The (https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok)
(https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok) Long & the Short
(Form) of it (https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok)
 System1 and TikTok partnered to explore what makes TikTok ads effective.
Using our Test Your Ad platform, the research reveals how sentiment,
attention, and creative features impact performance, offering insights on
sustaining attention, entertaining users, and integrating branding
effectively. At the same time the business launched a new Test Your Ad Social
product, targeting digital advertising, the fastest growing ad spend area.

·      The (https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividend)
(https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividend) Creative Dividend
(https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividend)  For the first time, System1
has combined the Effie Case Library with our emotion-first creative
measurement database, Test Your Ad, to build the largest global creative
effectiveness databank. The research introduces the Creativity Stack: five
evidence-based creative principles that allow any brand to create lasting
effects with brilliant advertising.

·      Double Take (https://system1group.com/seeing-gen-z)
(https://system1group.com/seeing-gen-z)
(https://system1group.com/seeing-gen-z) in partnership with JCDecaux draws on
System1's predictive testing of 1000+ OOH campaigns with 180,000 consumers
across 7 markets using its Test Your Ad
(https://system1group.com/test-your-ad)  platform. For the first time, a
subset of these results have been linked to JCDecaux's campaign performance
data to reveal how emotion and branding drive brand and commercial effects in
one of the world's most powerful media channels

 

New business wins in the US delivered £1.1m of platform revenue in H1 and
included:

·      the largest supermarket operator in the US;

·      a multi-billion-dollar US beverage business; and

·      a global top 3 video gaming brand.

 

In the UK and Europe new business flow was also strong with ca 100 new clients
onboarded in H1 delivering £1.8m of platform revenue, including:

·    a global banking and wealth management company;

·    a global entertainment and media business; and

·    the UK's largest wealth manager

 

Gross profit margin decreased slightly from 87.3% in H1 FY25 to 87.0%, and
remained comfortably above our 85% benchmark.

 

Operating Costs increased by 7% versus H1 last year due mainly to investment
in growth over the past 18 months, with lower variable pay mitigating the
year-on-year increase.

 

Overall average headcount increased by 20% to 191 FTE owing to new hires
principally in the Sales and Operations teams to deliver and support business
growth with existing and new clients

 

Other Operating Income
The lack of other operating income in H1 reflects the non-repetition of £0.3m in H1 FY25 relating to sublease income on a former property lease and a trademark co-existence agreement.

 

 

Tax
The Group has recognised a tax charge of £0.1m in the six months to 30 September 2025 (H1 FY25: tax charge of £0.8m). The increase in the effective tax rate from 31% in H1 FY25 to 54% in H1 FY26 is attributable to the uneven distribution of profits in H1.

 

Earnings Per Share

Diluted and Basic Earnings per Share declined to 0.9p from an H1 FY25 Diluted
and Basic earnings per share of 13.8p and 13.9p respectively, in line with the
decrease in post-tax profits in H1 FY26.

 

Cash

The Group ended the period with cash of £10.8m (H1 FY25 £8.9m, FY25:
£12.9m). Free cash flow after property lease costs and interest income
amounted to an outflow of £2.1m in the first half, reflecting the payment of
£2.2m in bonuses and commissions relating to FY25. (H1 FY25: free cash
outflow of £0.3m).

 

 

Dividend

The final dividend for FY25 (£1.4m) was paid on 17 October. As previously
announced, the Board's policy is to declare a final dividend only and there is
therefore no proposed interim payment.

 

Balance Sheet

Total equity increased to £14.4m (31 March 2025: £14.1m), arising from the
year-to-date post-tax profit of £0.1m and a £0.1m gain on foreign currency
reserves arising from the revaluation of net assets held in overseas
subsidiaries at 30 September 2025. Intangible assets have decreased by £0.1m
as a result of amortisation charges of £0.4m on completed projects,
offsetting the capitalisation of £0.3m associated with further development of
the platform. Property, plant and equipment has increased by £0.7m, along
with an increase in lease liabilities of £0.6m, as a result of the inception
of new office leases in the UK and the US.

 

Current trading and outlook

 

With further new client wins, and bookings in October and November that have
been stronger than we saw in H1, the Company continues to trade in line with
the guidance(2) we gave in the 23 September 2025 update.

 

 

 James Gregory               Chris Willford

 Chief Executive Officer     Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Income Statement

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

                                                                   Note  Sep-25    Sep-24
                                                                         £'000     £'000

 Revenue                                                           3     17,116    18,333
 Cost of sales                                                           (2,227)   (2,319)
 Gross profit                                                            14,889    16,014

 Administrative expenses                                                 (14,646)  (13,751)
 Other operating income                                                  -         264

 Operating profit                                                        243       2,527

 Finance income                                                          23        41
 Finance expense                                                         (12)      (14)

 Profit before taxation                                                  254       2,554

 Income tax expense                                                      (138)     (796)

 Profit for the period                                                   116       1,758

 Attributable to the equity holders of the Company                       116       1,758

 Earnings per share attributable to equity holders of the Company

 Basic earnings per share                                          4     0.9p      13.9p
 Diluted earnings per share                                        4     0.9p      13.8p

 

 

CONDENSED Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

                                                                                       Sep-25   Sep-24
                                                                                       £'000    £'000

 Profit for the period                                                                 116          1,758

 Other comprehensive income:
 Items that may be subsequently reclassified to profit
 Currency translation differences on translating foreign operations                    109          (190)
 Other comprehensive income for the period, net of tax                                 109          (190)

 Total comprehensive income for the period attributable to equity holders of           225
 the Company

                                                                                                1,568

 

 

CONDENSED Consolidated Balance Sheet

as at 30 September 2025

 

Registered no. 05940040

 

                                       Note                     Sep-25  Mar-25
                                                                £'000   £'000

 ASSETS
 Non-current assets
 Property, plant, and equipment        7                        1,309         638
 Intangible assets                     8                        1,111             1,254
 Deferred tax asset                                             148               194
                                                                2,568          2,086
 Current assets
 Contract assets                                                216               205
 Trade and other receivables                                    6,905          6,822
 Cash and cash equivalents                                      10.752         12,871
                                                                17,873       19,898

 Total assets                                                   20,441       21,984

 EQUITY
 Attributable to equity holders of the Company
 Share capital                         10                       132               132
 Share premium account                                          1,601          1,601
 Merger reserve                                                 477               477
 Foreign currency translation reserve                           205              96
 Retained earnings                                              11,946         11,797
 Total equity                                                   14,361         14,103

 LIABILITIES
 Non-current liabilities
 Lease liabilities                     9                        626               -
                                                                626            -
 Current liabilities
 Provisions                                                     7                 -
 Lease liabilities                     9                        508            526
 Contract liabilities                                           951               758
 Income taxes payable                                           352     643
 Trade and other payables                                       3,636          5,954
                                                                5,454          7,881

 Total liabilities                                              6,080        7,881
 Total equity and liabilities                                   20,441       21,984

 

 

CONDENSED Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

                                                       Note                        Sep-25                                     Sep-24
                                                                                   £'000                                      £'000

 Net cash generated from operations                    11                               (1,082)                                     815
 Tax paid                                                                                  (403)                                      (434)
 Net cash generated from operating activities                                            (1,485)                                    381

 Cash flows from investing activities
 Purchases of property, plant, and equipment           7                                    (91)                                       (53)
 Purchase of intangible assets                                      8                       (255)                                      (261)
 Net cash used by investing activities                                                    (346)                                      (314)

 Net cash flow before financing activities                                               (1,831)                                    67

 Cash flows from financing activities
 Interest received                                                                                     23                                         41
 Interest paid                                                                              (12)                                       (14)
 Property lease liability payments                                                        (296)                                      (430)
 Net cash used by financing activities                                                    (285)                                      (403)

 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents                              (2,116)                                    (336)

 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period                                        12,871                                     9,610
 Exchange gain on cash and cash equivalents                                               (3)                                        (422)

 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period                                            10,752                                     8,852

                                                                                   Sep-25                                     Sep-24
                                                                                   £'000                                      £'000

 Net cash flow before financing activities                                               (1,831)                                    66
 Net cash flow for property leases                                                        (308)                                      (444)
 Free cashflow                                                                           (2,139)                                    (378)

 

 

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (continued)

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 
 
Consolidated Movements in Net Cash/(Debt)
                                            Cash and cash equivalents   Lease liabilities         Total
                                            £'000                       £'000                     £'000

 At 1 April 2024                                  9,610                 (346)                     9,264
 Cash flows                                      (336)                  444                       108
 Non-cash charges
 Interest on lease liabilities                           -                      (14)                      (14)
 New lease liabilities                      -                           (758)                     (758)
 Disposal of lease liabilities              -                           42                        42
 Exchange and other non-cash movements             (422)                            -             (422)
 At 30 September 2024                       8,852                           (632)                      8,220

 

Consolidated Movements in Net Cash/(Debt)
                                            Cash and cash equivalents   Lease liabilities         Total
                                            £'000                       £'000                     £'000

 At 1 April 2025                                 12,871                 (526)                     12,345
 Cash flows                                      (2,116)                308                       (1,808)
 Non-cash charges
 Interest on lease liabilities                           -                      (12)                      (12)
 New lease liabilities                      -                           (1,102)                   (1,102)
 Disposal of lease liabilities              -                           198                       198
 Exchange and other non-cash movements             (3)                              -             (3)
 At 30 September 2025                       10,752                      (1,134)                   9,618

 

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

                                         Share capital             Share premium account       Merger reserve            Foreign currency translation reserve  Retained earnings         Total
                                         £'000                     £'000                       £'000                     £'000                                 £'000                     £'000

 At 1 April 2024                                 132                     1,601                         477                      351                                  8,007               10,568

 Profit for the period                               -                          -                          -                         -                               1,758               1,758
 Other comprehensive income:
 - currency translation differences                  -                          -                          -                      (190)                                    -                       (190)

 Total comprehensive income                      -                       -                             -                         (190)                         1,758                     1,568

 Transactions with owners:
 Employee share options:
 - value of employee services                        -                          -                          -                         -                         (105)                     (105)
 - deferred tax credited to equity                   -                          -                          -                         -                                   32                        32

 At 30 September 2024                            132                     1,601                         477                       161                           9,692                     12,063

 At 1 April 2024                                 132                     1,601                         477                      351                                  8,007               10,568

 Profit for the period                               -                          -                          -                         -                               4,473               4,473
 Other comprehensive income:
 - currency translation differences                  -                          -                          -                       (255)                                   -             (255)

 Total comprehensive income                      -                       -                             -                         (255)                         4,473                     4,218

 Transactions with owners:
 Employee share options:
 - value of employee services                        -                          -                          -                         -                         (64)                      (64)
 - deferred tax credited to equity                   -                          -                          -                         -                                   15              15
 Dividends paid                                                                                                                                                (634)                     (634)

 At 31 March 2025                                132                     1,601                         477                       96                            11,797                    14,103

 At 1 April 2025                                 132                     1,601                         477                       96                            11,797                    14,103

 Profit for the period                               -                          -                          -                         -                               116                 116
 Other comprehensive income:
 - currency translation differences                  -                          -                          -                      109                                      -             109

 Total comprehensive income                      -                       -                             -                         109                           116                       225

 Transactions with owners:
 Employee share options:
 - value of employee services                        -                          -                          -                         -                         49                        49
 - deferred tax credited to equity                   -                          -                          -                         -                                   (16)            (16)

 At 30 September 2025                            132                     1,601                         477                       205                           11,946                    14,361

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

System1 Group PLC (the "Company") was incorporated on 19 September 2006 in the
United Kingdom. The Company's principal operating subsidiary, System1 Research
Limited, was at that time already established, having been incorporated on 29
December 1999. The address of the Company's registered office is 4 More London
Riverside, London, UK SE1 2AU. The Company's shares are listed on the AIM
Market of the London Stock Exchange ("AIM").

 

The Company and its subsidiaries (together the "Group") provide predictive
marketing data and market research consultancy.

 

The Board of Directors approved these interim financial statements for the six
months ended 30 September 2025 for issuance on 2 December 2025.

 

The financial information set out in this interim report does not constitute
statutory accounts as defined in Section 434 of the Companies Act 2006 and is
unaudited. The Group's latest statutory financial statements were for the year
ended 31 March 2025 and these have been approved by the Board of Directors and
filed with the Registrar of Companies. These accounts, which contained an
unqualified audit report under Section 495, did not include a reference to any
matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis of matter and
did not contain a statement under Section 498 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act
2006.

 

1.   Basis of Preparation

This condensed consolidated interim financial information has been prepared in
accordance with UK adopted IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting and on the going
concern basis. The Board reviews the performance of the Group monthly, and
senior management has a weekly assessment of sales revenue. The Group also
prepares and reviews cash flow forecasts and is confident that the going
concern assessment remains appropriate. The results presented in this report
are unaudited and they have been prepared in accordance with the recognition
and measurement principles of UK-adopted International Accounting Standards
that are expected to be applicable to the financial statements for the year
ending 31 March 2026 and on the basis of the accounting policies to be used in
those financial statements. The condensed consolidated financial statements do
not include all the information and disclosures required in the annual
financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the Group's annual
financial statements, being the statutory financial statements for System1
Group plc, as at 31 March 2025, which have been prepared in accordance with UK
adopted International Accounting Standards with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies reporting under those standards.

 

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with UK-adopted
International Accounting Standards ("UK-adopted IFRS") requires the use of
certain critical accounting estimates.

 

2.   Principal accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of the
financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

 

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

3.   Segment Information

The financial performance of the Group's geographic operating units
("Reportable Segments") is set out below*.

 

                              Sep-25                Sep-24
                              Revenue               Revenue
                              £'000                 £'000

 By location of customer
 USA                                6,555                 6,353
 LatAm                        1,110                 1,171
 United Kingdom                     7,049                 7,767
 Rest of Europe                     1,349                 2,097
 APAC                                 1,053                  945
                                  17,116                18,333

*Segmental revenue is revenue generated from external customers and so
excludes intercompany revenue and is attributable to geographical areas based
upon the location in which the service is delivered.

 

Consolidated balance sheet information is regularly provided to the Executive
Directors while segment balance sheet information is not. Accordingly, the
Company does not disclose segment balance sheet information here.

 

                                            Sep-25             Sep-24
                                            Revenue            Revenue
                                            £'000              £'000

 By product variant
 Data ("Predict Your")                            13,429             13,365
 Data-led consultancy ("Improve Your")      2,801              3,334
 Platform revenue                           16,230             16,699
 Other consultancy (non-platform)           886                1,634
                                                17,116             18,333

 By product group
 Communications (Ad Testing)                      14,317             15,874
 Brand (Brand Tracking)                           1,152              1,148
 Innovation                                       1,647              1,311
                                                17,116             18,333

 

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

4.   Earnings Per Share
                                                                            Sep-25      Sep-24

 Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company, in £'000             116         1,758
 Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue                        12,689,073  12,685,858
 Basic earnings per share                                                   0.9p        13.9p

 Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company, in £'000             116         1,758
 Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares in issue                        12,689,073  12,685,858
 Share options                                                              30,103      30,103
 Weighted average number of Ordinary Shares for diluted earnings per share  12,719,176  12,715,961
 Diluted earnings per share                                                 0.9p        13.8p

 

 

5.   Headcount

The average number of staff employed by the Group during the period was as
follows:

                        Sep-25                 Sep-24
                        No.                    No.

 Sales and marketing              74                     54
 Operations                       58                     50
 IT                               33                     30
 Administration                   26                     26
                                191                    160

 

6.   Dividends

The Company did not pay dividends in the six months ended 30 September 2025
and 30 September 2025. The Company does not propose the payment of an interim
dividend. On 17 October 2025 the Company paid a final ordinary and special
dividend of £1,395,798 (5.5p per share and 5.5p per share respectively) in
respect of the year ended 31 March 2025, including £333,513 paid to the
Company's Directors in relation to their shareholdings.

 

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

7.   Property, Plant, and Equipment
                                                        Right-of-use assets     Furniture         Computer hardware     Total

and fixtures
                                                        £'000                   £'000             £'000                 £'000

 Cost at 1 April 2024                                   172         -                    303                 475
 Additions                                              955         -                    127                 1,082
 Disposals                                              (102)       -                    -                   (102)
 Foreign exchange                                       (27)        -                    (1)                 (28)
 Cost at 31 March 2025                                  998         -                    429                 1,427

 Depreciation at 1 April 2024                           24          -                    226                 250
 Depreciation charge for the year                       500         -                    84                  584
 Disposals                                              (51)        -                    -                   (51)
 Foreign exchange                                       9           -                    (3)                 6
 Depreciation at 31 March 2025                          482         -                    307                 789

 Carrying amount 31 March 2025                          516         -                    122                 638

 Cost at 1 April 2025                                   998         -                    429                 1,427
 Additions                                              1,102       3                    88                  1,193
 Disposals                                              (710)       -                    -                   (710)
 Foreign exchange                                       2           -                    2                   4
 Cost at 30 September 2025                              1,392       3                    519                 1,914

 Depreciation at 1 April 2025                           482         -                    307                 789
 Depreciation charge for the period                     304         -                    25                  329
 Disposals                                              (513)       -                    -                   (513)
 Foreign exchange                                       (2)         -                    2                   -
 Depreciation at 30 September 2025                      271         -                    334                 605

 Carrying amount 30 September 2025                      1,121       3                    185                 1,309

 

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

8.   Intangible assets
                                                       Development costs  Software              Total
                                                       £'000              £'000                 £'000

 Cost at 1 April 2024                                   1,961                      525          2,486
 Additions                                             468                -                     468
 Cost at 31 March 2025                                 2,429              525                   2,954

 Amortisation at 1 April 2024                          524                384                   908
 Amortisation for the year                             653                139                   792
 Amortisation at 31 March 2025                         1,177              523                   1,700

 Carrying value at 31 March 2025                       1,252              2                     1,254

 Cost at 1 April 2025                                  2,429              525                   2,954
 Additions                                             255                -                     255
 Cost at 30 September 2025                             2,684              525                   3,209

 Amortisation at 1 April 2025                          1,177              523                   1,700
 Amortisation for the period                           398                -                     398
 Amortisation at 30 September 2025                     1,575              523                   2,098

 Carrying value at 30 September 2025                   1,109              2                     1,111

The only software asset as at 31 March and 30 September 2025 is the Group's
finance and operations system that was brought into use October 2020.

 

Development costs relate to costs capitalised for the development of the
following:

 

"Test Your" platform, which underpins the delivery of our data and data led
consultancy product suite and was completed during the year ended 31 March
2023. The carrying value at 30 September 2025 was £56k (31 March 2025:
£205k)

 

Supply Chain Automation platform which enables System1 to interface (via API)
with multiple suppliers of panel respondents and was substantially completed
at 31 March 2024. The carrying value at 30 September 2025 was £528k (31 March
2025: £724k)

 

Modular Surveys, which facilitates the automation of custom products and was
completed in two phases in the year ended 31 March 2025. The carrying value at
30 September 2025 was £144k (31 March 2025: £178k)

 

Boost, which optimises our methodology for sourcing sample respondents, which
was substantially completed in August 2025. The carrying value at 30 September
2025 was £284k (31 March 2025: £145k)

 

Tag and Search, a data optimisation tool completed in July 2025. The carrying
value at 30 September 2025 was £99k (31 March 2025: £nil).

 

Development costs in respect of completed projects are tested for impairment
where impairment indicators exist. No indicators exist at 30 September 2025
(31 March 2025: none). Development costs in respect of ongoing projects are
tested for impairment at each reporting date. The carrying value of the assets
in each case are assigned to their respective cash generating units for the
purposes of assessing future cashflows. The principal assumptions used in the
forecasts were the timing and amount of future revenues and cost savings,
which were derived from the latest forecasts approved by the Board. Following
the assessment, the Board have determined that no impairment of assets is
required as at 30 September 2025 (31 March 2025: £nil). The headroom in the
impairment review exceeds the carrying value of the asset.

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

 

9.   Borrowings

 

The analysis of the maturity of lease liabilities is as follows:

                                               Sep-25                      Mar-25
                                               £'000                       £'000

 Within one year                                     547                   535
 Later than 1 but no later than 5 years              648                            -
 More than 5 years                                          -               -
 Minimum lease payments                              1,195                       535
 Future finance charges                               (61)                          (9)
 Recognised as a liability                           1,134                       526

 The present value of finance lease liabilities is as follows:

                                               Sep-25                      Mar-25
                                               £'000                       £'000

 Within one year                                     508                         526
 Later than 1 but no later than 5 years           626                               -
 More than 5 years                              -                           -
                                                     1,134                       526

 

On 22 February 2023, the Company entered into an Overdraft Facility with HSBC.
The facility of up to a maximum of £1,500,000, is secured over the Company's
trade receivables, and incurs interest at 3% above the Bank of England base
rate on drawn balances. The facility has no fixed end date and can be
cancelled by either party at any time. During the period ended 30 September
2025, the Company has not drawn any amounts under the facility, and no amounts
have been drawn to the date of the signing of these financial statements
(amounts drawn in the year ended 31 March 2025: £nil).

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

 

10.  Share Capital

The share capital of System1 Group PLC consists of fully paid Ordinary Shares
("Shares") with a par value of one penny each. All Shares, excluding Treasury
Shares, are equally eligible to receive dividends and the repayment of capital
and represent one vote at the Annual General Meeting.

 

                                                         Sep-25                                                             Mar-25
                                                         No.                     £'000                                      No.                     £'000

 Allotted, called up, and fully paid ordinary shares         13,226,773                   132                                13,226,773                         132
 At 1 April and at 30 September

                                                         Sep-25                                                             Mar-25
                                                         Treasury shares         Weighted average exercise price per share  Treasury shares         Weighted average exercise price per share
                                                         No.                     Pence                                      No.                     Pence
 Shares held by Treasury
 At 1 April                                                      537,700                                                            537,700
 Transfer of shares to satisfy options exercise          -                                   -                                    -                          -
 At 30 September                                                 537,700                                                            537,700

 

 

11.  Net Cash Generated from Operations
                                                                           Sep-25                   Sep-24
                                                                           £'000                    £'000

 Profit before taxation                                                         253                      2,554
 Depreciation of property, plant, and equipment                                    329              264
 Amortisation and impairment of intangible assets                                    398            329
 Profit on disposal of property, plant and equipment                       -                        (2)
 Interest received                                                                   (11)                     (27)
 Share-based payment expense/(credit)                                                49                       (105)
 Increase in contract assets                                                       (11)                     (24)
 Decrease in finance lease receivables                                     -                        85
 Increase in trade and other receivables                                         (83)               (167)
 Decrease in trade and other payables                                              (2,318)          (2,182)
 Increase/(decrease) in contract liabilities                                       192              (158)
 Increase/(decrease) in provisions                                                   7                        (6)
 Exchange differences on operating items                                         113                254
 Net cash (used in)/generated from operations                                  (1,082)                  815

 

 

Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

for the 6 months ended 30 September 2025

 

12.  Expenses by Nature
                                                                            Sep-25  Sep-24
                                                                            £'000   £'000

 Employee benefit expense                                                   9,151   7,139
 Employee benefit expense - variable pay                                    302     1,891
 Other research and development costs                                       1,076   538
 Capitalised development costs - gross of amortisation                      (255)   (261)
 Depreciation, amortisation, and impairment                                 729     593
 Lease expense related to short term leases                                 20      63
 Net foreign exchange losses                                                90      429
 Third party direct costs (sample, translation, data processing)            2,227   2,319
 Indirect delivery costs                                                    448     465
 Other expenses                                                             3,085   2,894
                                                                            16,873  16,070

 

 

13.  Reconciliation between Profit Before tax and Adjusted EBITDA:
                                            Sep-25                                 Sep-24
                                            £'000                                  £'000

 Profit Before Tax                          253                                    2,554
 Add:
 Share-based payment expense/(credit)*                   51                                      (131)
 Adjusted Profit Before Tax                                304                     2,423

 Finance income                                              (23)                                (41)
 Finance expense                            12                                     14
 Depreciation                               329                                    264
 Amortisation                               398                                    329

 Adjusted EBITDA                            1,020                                  2,989

*Share-based payment expenses include the associated cost of the provision for employer's social security.

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