REG - XP Factory PLC - FY26 Trading Update

XP FactoryAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 8677D  XP Factory PLC  12 May 2026

12 May 2026

XP Factory plc

("XP Factory", the "Company" or the "Group")

 

FY26 Trading Update

"Resilience in challenging market conditions, underlying EBITDA marginally
ahead of revised market expectations" (1)

 

XP Factory, one of the UK's leading experiential leisure businesses operating
the Escape Hunt® and Boom Battle Bar® ("Boom") brands, is pleased to provide
an unaudited update on trading for the 52 week period covering 1 April 2025 to
29 March 2026(2) ('FY26')

 

Highlights

Financial

·    Full year Group revenue of more than £59m (12 months ended 31 March
2025 ("FY25"): £58m)

·    Pre-IFRS 16 adjusted EBITDA expected to be marginally ahead of the
revised market expectations of £5.1m (FY25: £6.6m)

·    Net debt excluding lease liabilities as at 29 March 2026 of £5.7m
(31 March 2025: £4.9m)

·    Escape Hunt Owner Operated ("O&O"): Continued strong growth

o  Revenue growth: +11%, driven by LFL growth and net new site openings

o  O&O LFL growth: +3.8%

o  Material labour cost increases driven by rises in National Insurance
contributions and National Living Wage

·    Boom O&O: Positive overall growth

o  Revenue growth: +2%, driven by the annualisation of prior year franchisee
acquisitions, and net site openings

o  O&O LFL decline: -8%, modestly ahead of the competitive socialising
industry which experienced a LFL decline of -9%(3) in the comparable period

o  Disciplined cost control partially mitigating materially higher labour and
supplier cost inflation

o  Initial signs of sector consolidation starting to accelerate; as a
market-leading operator, Boom is well positioned to emerge as a winner when
market conditions improve, consistent with XP Factory's prior experience in
Escape Rooms

 

Strategic Progress

·    New openings: Two new Escape Hunt sites opened in Canterbury and
Sheffield. One new Boom site opened in Reading

·    Group Portfolio at year end:

o  Escape Hunt sites:

§ O&O: 27, of which 24 are in the UK

§ Franchise: 18, all international

 

o  Boom sites:

§ O&O: 25, of which 24 are in the UK

§ Franchise: 5, all UK-based

·    Colchester Escape Hunt site opened in April (post period end)

·    HQ cost reductions: the Group has initiated annualised cost
reductions of approximately £1m, with limited impact in FY26 and the full
benefit expected during FY27

·    Medium-term potential: grow Escape Hunt O&O estate to 100 sites

·    Trading during FY27 has been in line with Board expectations

Commenting, Richard Harpham, Chief Executive of XP Factory plc said: "Against
a backdrop of well-documented industry challenges, we have continued to
outperform industry benchmarks. Escape Hunt continues to demonstrate the
strength of its proposition, delivering remarkably strong and consistent
returns across the estate. Whilst trading conditions within the Competitive
Socialising market have remained difficult, we are confident that Boom, as a
scale operator, will prove to be a long-term winner as the industry
consolidates."

 

(1) Company-compiled consensus for FY 2026 Revenue and EBITDA (pre-IFRS 16),
based on the mean average of two analyst estimates, stands at £59.4m and
£5.1m, respectively.

(2) Accounting period changed from a 12-month basis to a 52-week basis
reflecting the transition to a 4-4-5 management accounting calendar

(3) Source: CGA RSM Hospitality tracker, average weekly LFL for Experiential
Venues for the 52 weeks to 29 March 2026

 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law
by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"). Upon the
publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this
inside information is now considered to be in the public domain

 

Enquiries:

 XP Factory Plc                                               +44 (0) 20 7846 3322

 https://www.xpfactory.com/ (https://www.xpfactory.com/)

 Richard Harpham (Chief Executive Officer)

 Dominic Richards (Strategy and Corporate Finance Director)

 Panmure Liberum (Broker, NOMAD and Financial Adviser)        +44 (0) 20 3100 2000

 Ed Thomas

 Chris Clarke

 Satbir Kler

 Izzy Trow

Notes to Editors:

About XP Factory plc

 

The XP Factory Group is one of the UK's pre-eminent experiential leisure
businesses which currently operates two fast growing leisure brands. Escape
Hunt is a global leader in providing escape-the-room experiences delivered
through a network of owner-operated sites in the UK, an international network
of franchised outlets in five continents, and through digitally delivered
games which can be played remotely.

Boom Battle Bar is a network of owner-operated and franchise sites in the UK
that combine competitive socialising activities with themed cocktails, drinks
and street food in a high energy, fun setting.  Activities include a range of
games such as augmented reality darts, Bavarian axe throwing, 'crazier golf',
shuffleboard and others.  The Group's products enjoy premium customer ratings
and cater for leisure or teambuilding, in small groups or large, and are
suitable for consumers, businesses and other organisations. The Company has a
strategy to expand the network in the UK and internationally, creating high
quality games and experiences delivered through multiple formats and which can
incorporate branded IP content. (https://xpfactory.com/
(https://xpfactory.com/) )

 Facebook:   EscapeHuntUK       BoomBattleBar
 Twitter:    @EscapeHuntUK      @boombattlebar
 Instagram:  @escapehuntuk      @boombattlebar

 

 

 

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