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Half Year Trading Update and Notice of Results

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Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc reported H1 2026 revenue of approximately £116.5 million, a 10% increase on a reported basis, though below management expectations due to a 16% revenue decline in China and a 14% decline in the Middle East, offset by 16% constant currency growth elsewhere. Applied Markets revenue grew 22%, driven by Clinical (35%) and BioPharma (25%), while Research grew 5%. PromethION sales increased 15%. The company ended the period with cash and liquid investments of approximately £234.5 million. Full-year 2026 constant currency revenue growth is still expected between 21-25%, or 16-20% excluding new revenue opportunities, with gross margin guidance remaining at 62%. Adjusted EBITDA breakeven is anticipated in FY27.

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Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (LSE: ONT), the company delivering a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology, today provides a trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2026.

Trading

  • H1 2026 revenue expected to be approximately £116.5 million, representing growth of approximately 10% on a reported basis and 12% at constant currency (CC).
  • First half trading was below management expectations, principally reflecting:

o China, where revenue declined approximately 16%, reflecting enhanced export control restrictions and changes to commercial operations in the region, and the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East, where revenue declined approximately 14%.

§ Outside China and the Middle East, Group revenue growth was approximately 16% CC.

o The timing of both customer orders and contract wins in AMR.

Regional performance:

o EMEAI delivered the strongest regional growth (up approximately 23% CC year-on-year) despite disruption in the Middle East, driven by continued momentum in Clinical and BioPharma end markets, with Research performing strongly notwithstanding the previously communicated roll-off of two large projects.

o AMR continued to perform well (up approximately 12% CC year-on-year), although growth was slower than anticipated due to the timing of customer orders and contract wins. Growth was broadly consistent across all end-markets despite continued funding pressures within the Research environment.

o APAC revenue declined by approximately 8% CC year-on-year. Performance reflected a meaningful decline in China together with the completion of the PRECISE II contract in Singapore in the prior year, as previously communicated.

End market performance:

o Applied Markets revenue grew approximately 22%, driven by:

§ Clinical growth of approximately 35%.

§ BioPharma growth of approximately 25%.

§ Partially offset by Industrial, which grew approximately 5%.

o Research revenue grew approximately 5%, reflecting the previously communicated roll-off of several large projects.

  • Growth was delivered across all product categories, led by PromethION, which grew approximately 15% year-on-year.
  • Cash, cash equivalents and other liquid investments were approximately £234.5 million at 30 June 2026 (FY25: £302.8 million), providing continued balance sheet strength to execute the Group's strategy.

Guidance

FY26

  • FY26 constant currency revenue growth is expected to remain within the previously guided range of approximately 21-25%, including:

o additional collaboration & licensing revenue opportunities expected to be recognised during the second half of FY26, some of which is expected be non-recurring in nature.

  • Excluding these additional new revenue opportunities FY26 constant currency revenue growth is expected to be approximately 16-20%, principally reflecting:

o expected continued weakness in China;

o disruption in the Middle East; and

o the impact of first-half customer order timing in AMR, which is not expected to be fully recovered by year end.

  • The Group continues to expect a materially stronger second half, supported by:

o continued momentum in Applied Markets; and

o the ramp-up of secured business.

  • FY26 gross margin guidance remains approximately 62%.

FY27

  • The Group continues to expect to achieve adjusted EBITDA breakeven during FY27, with strong progress made in the first half of FY26.

Francis Van Parys, Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, commented:

"While first half revenue growth was below our expectations, we have continued to make good operational progress in the period, delivering further improvements in gross margin and disciplined cost control, keeping us on track to achieve adjusted EBITDA breakeven during FY27.

"We continue to see encouraging momentum across our strategic growth markets, particularly Clinical and BioPharma, and I look forward to discussing our first half performance and strategic priorities in more detail when we announce our interim results in August."

Notice of Results

  • Oxford Nanopore will announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 on Wednesday 19 August 2026.
  • Management will host a virtual presentation to review financial results and Francis Van Parys, CEO, will provide a strategy update at 9:30am BST / 4:30am EDT, followed by a Q&A session accessible via webcast and conference call on the Company's investor relations website.

596/2014), which forms part of English law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

  • All percentages compare to the equivalent 2025 period.
  • All growth rates include currency fluctuations unless stated as constant currency (CC).
  • Constant currency (CC) applies the same rate to the HY26 and HY25 non-GBP results based on HY25 rates.
  • APAC: Asia Pacific, AMR: The Americas, EMEAI: Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India

Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.

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