
FY25 FINANCIAL RESULTS - CREATING MOMENTUM
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
|
FY25 (12 months to |
FY24 (12 months to |
Revenue |
|
|
Adjusted Operating Profit* |
|
|
EBITDA** |
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA*** |
|
|
Operating Profit/(Loss) |
|
( |
Cash balance at year end |
|
|
* Adjusted Operating Profit measures Frontier's financial performance after eliminating non-cash development cost accounting adjustments (cost capitalisation, amortisation charges and impairment charges), non-cash share charges, non-operating items (including restructuring costs), and after recording the full benefits of tax and R&D expenditure credits against the expenditure they relate to.
** Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation, impairment and restructuring costs.
*** Adjusted EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and impairment charges related to game developments and game technology, less investments in game developments and game technology, and excluding restructuring costs, share-based payment charges and other non-cash items.
FY25: OUR REFOCUSED CMS STRATEGY DELIVERED
·
o Revenue from Frontier's genre-leading CMS games grew 25% year on year, driven by the release of Planet Coaster 2 in
o Frontier's three CMS game franchises - Planet Coaster,
o Back-catalogue revenue from established leading titles, comprised of multiple CMS games and the ever-evolving
· A significant uplift in financial performance through strong trading, a lower operating cost base and the sale of publishing rights:
o Adjusted Operating Profit* grew to
o Adjusted EBITDA*** grew to
o Operating profit of
· Financial position further strengthened:
o Cash grew by
o A share buyback programme of up to
FY26 AND BEYOND: AN EXCITING PIPELINE OF CMS GAMES
· Three future CMS games are now in development, including a recently started project for release in FY28:
o For FY26, Jurassic World Evolution 3, the third exciting instalment in the Jurassic World Evolution game franchise, is scheduled for release on
o For FY27, a second CMS game, which is yet to be announced, is in full development and is on track.
o For FY28, a third CMS game, which is also yet to be announced, will further evolve Frontier's expertise in the CMS genre.
· A positive outlook: having achieved growth in revenue, profit and cash in FY25, the Board is confident in Frontier's ability to deliver further annual growth in FY26 through nurturing and expanding our genre-leading game franchises.
"FY25 was a year of delivery, resilience and renewed momentum for Frontier. We executed the first phase of our long-term strategy, strengthened our financial foundations, and reaffirmed our leadership in Creative Management Simulation. With a clear roadmap, a passionate team, and a robust pipeline of titles, we are focused on building sustainable growth through high-quality, player-centric experiences."
The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as amended by The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The person responsible for making this announcement on behalf of the Company is
Enquiries:
Peel Hunt - Nomad and Joint Corporate Broker +44 (0)20 7418 8900
Neil Patel / Ben Cryer / Kate Bannatyne
Panmure Liberum - Joint Corporate Broker +44 (0)20 3100 2000
Max Jones / Shalin Bhamra
Teneo +44 (0)20 7353 4200
Matt Low / Arthur Rogers
About
Frontier is a leading independent developer and publisher of video games founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the iconic Elite game. Based in Cambridge, Frontier uses its proprietary COBRA game development technology to create innovative genre-leading games, primarily for personal computers and videogame consoles.
Frontier's LEI number: 213800B9LGPWUAZ9GX18.
CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Following our strategic reset in FY24, the last 15 months have been a period of meaningful progress for Frontier. We delivered on all our key milestones and significantly strengthened our financial performance. Our exceptional portfolio of CMS franchises puts us in an excellent position to deliver long-term success.
The major release of FY25 was Planet Coaster 2, the first of three CMS games outlined in the FY24 Annual Report as the foundation of Frontier's development roadmap through FY27. The second title in that roadmap, Jurassic World Evolution 3, was announced on
Financially, FY25 was a strong year. We delivered revenue growth, improved margins, and achieved substantial increases in both profit and cash generation. These results reflect the resilience of our portfolio, the inherent operating leverage within our business model, and operational improvements implemented across the organisation.
A key recent operational development was the formation of an Executive Board, in
Looking ahead, we are well positioned for the future. With a clear roadmap, a talented and passionate team, and a strong pipeline of titles, Frontier is focused on delivering high-quality, player-centric experiences that drive sustainable growth.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our employees, partners and shareholders for their continued support. FY25 was a year of learning, delivery and renewed momentum, and we are building on this foundation in FY26.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S STATEMENT
We began FY25 with a clear plan to further strengthen our foundations and complete the first phase of our strategic long-term vision. I am pleased to report that, thanks to the hard work of our teams, we delivered.
Creative Management Simulation: Evolving Our Core Strength
Our CMS titles remain at the heart of Frontier's creative and commercial strategy, with our three CMS game franchises together delivering 77% of total revenue in FY25.
In
Meanwhile, our
In
Our CMS-focused plan is to build a robust and sustainable pipeline of games that reflects our confidence in the genre and our ability to deliver high-quality, player-centric experiences. We are in full development of another CMS game for release in FY27, and we have now commenced development for another CMS game in FY28.
Supporting Our Broader Portfolio
We believe that Elite Dangerous is the industry category leader among massive-scale multi-player space simulation games, and a proof point for our ability to embrace new engagement and monetisation initiatives, including premium early-access content and colonisation. In FY25, we delivered several quality-of-life updates, new content and community-driven improvements, reinforcing our commitment to long-term support. The game's enduring popularity is a testament to the strength of the universe we've built and the passion of its players.
Meanwhile, our development team at Complex Games in Canada continues to develop an exciting game which will build on their experience from previous similar titles.
Building for the Future
FY25 was a year of transformation following our strategic reset in FY24. The reshaping of our teams, and the cost reductions that we undertook in the preceding period, have enabled our organisation to become a more resilient, sustainable and scalable business, providing a stronger foundation that is better equipped to serve players and navigate the evolving games industry. The impact of our lower cost base, when combined with our trading performance, delivered a strong set of financial results in FY25, with revenue growing and significant increases in profit and cash generation.
In
Looking ahead, our priorities are clear: deliver outstanding games, support them effectively post-launch, and continue to invest in our people and capabilities. With a strong pipeline, a clear strategy and a passionate team, I believe we are well placed to build on the momentum of FY25 and deliver sustainable growth in the years to come.
Thank you to our players for your feedback and support, to our partners for your collaboration, to our shareholders for your patience, and to the entire Frontier team for your creativity, resilience and commitment.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER'S STATEMENT
Frontier's sharpened focus on CMS games, combined with a sustainable cost base, delivered a significant uplift in profitability and cash generation in FY25. Revenue also increased year on year, placing the Group in a strong and confident position to pursue further sustainable growth in FY26, through the continued development and expansion of its genre-leading franchises.
REVENUE
Frontier's portfolio of CMS games performed strongly in FY25, driving total revenue to
Outside the CMS portfolio, Elite Dangerous, Frontier's long-standing space exploration title, delivered excellent revenue growth of 76% year on year, supported by new content and increased player engagement.
GROSS PROFIT
Gross profit increased to
OPERATING COSTS
Total operating expenditure under IFRS, which includes research and development, sales and marketing and administrative expenses and restructuring costs, declined by 42% to
From FY26, Frontier has adopted Adjusted Operating Profit as its primary financial performance measure, replacing Adjusted EBITDA. The Group believes this change provides a more accurate reflection of underlying financial performance and cash generation, including the benefits from tax and R&D expenditure credits. Adjusted operating expenditure in FY25, as recorded under the new Adjusted Operating Profit performance measure, declined 13% year on year to
OTHER OPERATING INCOME
Gains from the sale of game publishing rights generated
On
The remaining
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Adjusted Operating Profit, Frontier's updated measure of cash profitability, rose to
Under IFRS, the Group reported an operating profit of
CORPORATION TAX, TAX CREDITS AND R&D EXPENDITURE CREDITS
Frontier continues to benefit from several tax incentive and R&D expenditure credit schemes that provide tax credits and enhanced tax deductions from our investment in game developments. The benefits from those schemes, together with tax adjustments for prior periods, generated a corporation tax credit in the Group's FY25 income statement of
The payment of tax and R&D expenditure credits relating to each financial year are typically received in the following financial year, which results in significant current assets in the statement of financial position. At
We are working through the transition from VGTR to the Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) scheme, which will become mandatory for all games from
PROFIT AFTER TAX AND EARNINGS PER SHARE
Profit after tax for FY25 was
CASH POSITION AND CASHFLOW
Frontier remains well capitalised and has no debt, with
SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAMME
On
The share buyback is returning surplus capital to shareholders, improving return on equity and increasing earnings per share, while maintaining the financial headroom to invest in the Group's strategy to confidently deliver sustainable growth.
PLC BOARD AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
In
The members of the PLC Board and Executive Board are as follows:
PLC Board of Directors: Jonny Watts, David Braben and Alex Bevis (Executive Directors); Ilse Howling, Leslie-Ann Reed, David Walsh and James Mitchell (Non-Executive Directors).
Executive Board: Jonny Watts (CEO), Alex Bevis (Finance), James Dixon (Operations), Piers Jackson (Development), Jo Cooke (Publishing), Yvonne Dawes (People), Jessica Bourne (Legal).
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT |
|||
FOR THE YEAR ENDED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes |
12 months to
|
12 months to
|
Revenue |
|
90,600 |
89,270 |
Cost of sales |
|
(27,257) |
(27,954) |
Gross profit |
|
63,343 |
61,316 |
Research and development expenses |
|
(31,971) |
(67,881) |
Sales and marketing expenses |
|
(7,710) |
(11,635) |
Administrative expenses |
|
(14,921) |
(13,659) |
Other operating income |
|
3,910 |
4,851 |
Operating profit/(loss) before restructuring |
|
12,651 |
(27,008) |
Restructuring costs |
|
- |
(1,405) |
Operating profit/(loss) |
|
12,651 |
(28,413) |
Finance income |
|
800 |
832 |
Finance costs |
|
(1,032) |
(844) |
Profit/(loss) before tax |
|
12,419 |
(28,425) |
Income tax credit |
3 |
3,968 |
6,953 |
Profit/(loss) for the year attributable to shareholders |
|
16,387 |
(21,472) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 months to pence |
12 months to pence |
Earnings/(loss) per share |
|
|
|
Basic earnings/(loss) per share |
4 |
42.4 |
(55.6) |
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share |
4 |
40.7 |
(55.6) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All the activities of the Group are classified as continuing.
* Finance income and finance costs were previously presented on a net basis but have now been presented separately.
|
|||
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME |
|||
FOR THE YEAR ENDED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 months to
|
12 months to
|
Profit/(loss) for the year |
|
16,387 |
(21,472) |
Other comprehensive income Items that will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: |
|
|
|
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations |
|
(534) |
(277) |
Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the year attributable to the equity holders of the parent |
|
15,853 |
(21,749) |
The accompanying accounting policies and notes form part of this financial information.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION |
|
|
|
AS AT |
|
|
|
(REGISTERED COMPANY NO: 02892559) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes |
|
|
Non-current assets |
|
|
|
Goodwill |
|
6,539 |
6,954 |
Other intangible assets |
5 |
41,971 |
35,702 |
Property, plant and equipment |
|
3,810 |
4,739 |
Right-of-use assets |
|
17,548 |
19,661 |
Trade and other receivables |
|
1,105 |
- |
Total non-current assets |
|
70,973 |
67,056 |
Current assets |
|
|
|
Trade and other receivables |
|
12,290 |
13,590 |
Current tax assets |
|
4,928 |
7,216 |
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
42,502 |
29,523 |
Total current assets |
|
59,720 |
50,329 |
Total assets |
|
130,693 |
117,385 |
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
Trade and other payables |
|
(10,418) |
(11,096) |
Lease liabilities |
|
(1,823) |
(1,748) |
Deferred revenue |
|
(1,486) |
(4,351) |
Deferred income from R&D expenditure credits |
|
(955) |
- |
Current tax liabilities |
|
(276) |
- |
Total current liabilities |
|
(14,958) |
(17,195) |
Net current assets |
|
44,762 |
33,134 |
Non-current liabilities |
|
|
|
Provisions |
|
(100) |
(85) |
Lease liabilities |
|
(17,644) |
(19,535) |
Other payables |
|
(635) |
(3,101) |
Deferred revenue |
|
- |
(256) |
Deferred income from R&D expenditure credits |
|
(1,204) |
- |
Deferred tax liabilities |
|
(990) |
(390) |
Total non-current liabilities |
|
(20,573) |
(23,367) |
Total liabilities |
|
(35,531) |
(40,562) |
Net assets |
|
95,162 |
76,823 |
Equity |
|
|
|
Share capital |
|
197 |
197 |
Share premium account |
|
36,547 |
36,547 |
Equity reserve |
|
(12,955) |
(13,283) |
Foreign exchange reserve |
|
(1,407) |
(873) |
Retained earnings |
|
72,780 |
54,235 |
Total equity |
|
95,162 |
76,823 |
The accompanying accounting policies and notes form part of this financial information.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital £'000 |
Share premium account £'000 |
Equity reserve £'000 |
Foreign exchange reserve £'000 |
Retained earnings £'000 |
Total equity £'000 |
At |
197 |
36,547 |
(14,553) |
(596) |
74,373 |
95,968 |
Loss for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(21,472) |
(21,472) |
Other comprehensive income: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations |
- |
- |
- |
(277) |
- |
(277) |
Total comprehensive loss for the year |
- |
- |
- |
(277) |
(21,472) |
(21,749) |
Share-based payment charges |
- |
- |
2,778 |
- |
- |
2,778 |
Share-based payment transfer relating to option exercises and lapses |
- |
- |
(1,508) |
- |
1,508 |
- |
Deferred tax movements posted directly to reserves |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(174) |
(174) |
Transactions with owners |
- |
- |
1,270 |
- |
1,334 |
2,604 |
At |
197 |
36,547 |
(13,283) |
(873) |
54,235 |
76,823 |
Profit for the year |
- |
- |
- |
- |
16,387 |
16,387 |
Other comprehensive income: |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations |
- |
- |
- |
(534) |
- |
(534) |
Total comprehensive income for the year |
- |
- |
- |
(534) |
16,387 |
15,853 |
Share-based payment charges |
- |
- |
2,368 |
- |
- |
2,368 |
Share-based payment transfer relating to option exercises and lapses |
- |
- |
(2,158) |
- |
2,158 |
- |
|
- |
- |
118 |
- |
- |
118 |
Transactions with owners |
- |
- |
328 |
- |
2,158 |
2,486 |
At |
197 |
36,547 |
(12,955) |
(1,407) |
72,780 |
95,162 |
The accompanying accounting policies and notes form part of this financial information.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS |
||
FOR THE YEAR ENDED |
|
|
|
12 months to
|
12 months to
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation |
12,419 |
(28,425) |
Adjustments for: |
|
|
Depreciation and amortisation |
23,435 |
36,892 |
Impairment of other intangible assets |
- |
16,930 |
Movement in unrealised exchange gains on forward contracts |
- |
(37) |
Share-based payment expenses |
2,368 |
2,778 |
Interest received |
(800) |
(832) |
Payment of interest element of lease liabilities |
1,032 |
844 |
Other operating income |
(3,910) |
(4,851) |
Working capital changes: |
|
|
Change in trade and other receivables |
1,466 |
3,661 |
Change in trade and other payables |
635 |
(4,557) |
Change in deferred revenue |
(3,121) |
- |
Change in deferred income from R&D expenditure credits |
2,159 |
- |
Change in provisions |
15 |
14 |
Cash generated from operations |
35,698 |
22,417 |
Taxes received |
5,808 |
9,208 |
Net cashflows from operating activities |
41,506 |
31,625 |
Investing activities |
|
|
Purchase of property, plant and equipment |
(341) |
(960) |
Expenditure on other intangible assets |
(30,370) |
(29,419) |
Payments for contingent consideration on business acquisitions |
- |
(1,516) |
Sale of publishing rights |
4,005 |
3,195 |
Interest received |
800 |
832 |
Net cashflows used in investing activities |
(25,906) |
(27,868) |
Financing activities |
|
|
|
118 |
- |
Payment of principal element of lease liabilities |
(1,726) |
(1,665) |
Payment of interest element of lease liabilities |
(1,032) |
(844) |
Net cashflows used in financing activities |
(2,640) |
(2,509) |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations |
12,960 |
1,248 |
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
29,523 |
28,311 |
Exchange differences on cash and cash equivalents |
19 |
(36) |
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
42,502 |
29,523 |
The accompanying accounting policies and notes form part of this financial information.
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION
1. CORPORATE INFORMATION
The address of its registered office is
The Group's operations are based and headquartered in the UK, with subsidiaries based in Canada and the US.
2. BASIS OF PREPARATION AND STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The financial information contained in this preliminary announcement of audited results does not constitute the Group's statutory accounts for the years ended
The statutory accounts for the year ended
The basis of preparation and going concern policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the periods presented, unless otherwise stated.
Basis of preparation
The consolidated financial statements of the Group have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards (IASs) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under UK-adopted IASs. The financial information has been prepared on the basis of all applicable IFRSs, including all IASs, Standing Interpretations Committee (SIC) interpretations and International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) interpretations that are applicable to the financial period.
The consolidated financial information has been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, except for financial instruments held at fair value. The consolidated financial information is presented in Sterling and has been rounded to the nearest thousand (£'000) except when otherwise indicated.
Going concern basis
The Group's day-to-day working capital requirements are expected to be met through the cash and cash equivalent resources (including treasury deposits) at the balance sheet date of
The Group has also performed stress testing on the Annual Budget in respect of potential downside scenarios to identify the break point of current cash resources and to identify when current liquidity resources may fall short of requirements.
The scenarios both consider a reduction in predicted revenues; however, the reduction would need to be severe in order to prevent the Group from continuing as a going concern and is considered to be highly unlikely to occur. The Group has also identified mitigating actions that could be reasonably taken, if required, to offset the reduction of cash inflows, to enable it to continue its operations for the period to 30 September 2026.
The sensitivities included in the stress testing include a significant reduction of revenue for the Group from both the existing portfolio and future game launches, including factoring in delays to major game launches.
As expected, the scenarios resulted in an accelerated use of current cash resources; however, in all scenarios tested the current cash resources were sufficient to support the Group's activities. This is due to a variety of factors:
· the Group currently has significant cash reserves to maintain the current level of operations;
· the development and publishing of titles has progressed as expected; and
· should a more extreme downside scenario occur, the Group could take further mitigating actions by reducing its operating costs.
Having considered all the above, including the current strong cash position, no current impact on debtor recoverability and the continued strong trading performance for the Group, the Directors are satisfied that there are sufficient resources to continue operations for the period to 30 September 2026. The financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2025 are therefore prepared under the going concern basis.
3. TAXATION ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES
The major components of the income tax credit are:
Consolidated income statement |
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Current tax: |
|
|
Credit in respect of current year |
(4,512) |
(5,868) |
Adjustments in respect of prior years |
(78) |
(894) |
Total current tax |
(4,590) |
(6,762) |
Deferred tax: |
|
|
Charge/(credit) in respect of current year |
617 |
(185) |
Adjustments in respect of prior years |
5 |
(6) |
Total deferred tax |
622 |
(191) |
Total taxation credit reported in the consolidated income statement |
(3,968) |
(6,953) |
|
|
|
Consolidated equity |
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Deferred tax related to items recognised in equity during the year: |
|
|
Net change in share option exercises |
- |
174 |
Reconciliation of total tax credit at statutory tax rates:
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Profit/(loss) on ordinary activities before taxation |
12,419 |
(28,425) |
Tax on profit/(loss) on ordinary activities at standard statutory tax rate of 25% (FY24: 25%) |
3,105 |
(7,106) |
Factors affecting tax expense for the year: |
|
|
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes |
238 |
63 |
Adjustments in respect of prior years |
(73) |
(900) |
Video Games Tax Relief enhanced deductions on which credits claimed |
(5,869) |
(7,290) |
Benefit of Patent Box |
(1,016) |
- |
Deferred tax not recognised |
(410) |
8,259 |
Effect of higher tax rates in Canada |
57 |
21 |
Total taxation credit reported in the consolidated income statement |
(3,968) |
(6,953) |
The corporation tax rate has remained at 25% since 1 April 2023; therefore, at 31 May 2025, tax on profit on ordinary activities was being measured at the rate of 25%. Deferred taxes have been measured using the tax rate at the date that the deferred tax asset or liability unwinds of 25% (31 May 2024: 25%).
In FY25 the Group generated taxable profits of £12.4 million (FY24: loss of £28.4 million) and an implied tax charge at 25% of £3.1 million (FY24: a tax credit of £7.1 million); however, the Group has recorded a total corporation tax credit of £4.0 million (31 May 2024: £7.0 million).
The key contributors to the net credit recorded are the enhanced tax deductions available from the Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) scheme of £5.9 million (31 May 2024: £7.3 million) and Patent Box relief that reduced the taxable profits for Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Planet Zoo by a total of £1.0 million. No benefit in respect of Patent Box relief was claimed in FY24 as the Group did not generate sufficient profits from patented income.
VGTR benefits the Group by claiming an additional (enhanced) deduction from its taxable profit relating to the video game trades. In FY25, the additional deduction in respect of VGTR was £5.9 million, being £23.5 million of qualifying expenditure at a tax rate of 25% (FY24: £7.3 million being £29.2 million of qualifying expenditure at a tax rate of 25%). The £1.4 million year-on-year decrease in the enhanced deduction was due to the decrease in development costs in FY25 and therefore a decrease core development expenditure in respect of video games that are subject to VGTR.
The Group recognised an adjustment in respect of prior period of £74k during FY25 due to additional expenditure included in the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SRED) claim. During FY24 the Group recognised an adjustment in respect of prior period of £900k due to additional core expenditure in the F1® Manager Franchise VGTR claim.
During FY25, the Group recognised a net credit of £0.4 million in relation to movements in unrecognised deferred tax assets. This primarily reflects a £0.2 million tax-effected benefit arising from deductible temporary differences associated with the employee share scheme, as well as a £0.2 million temporary difference relating to deferred income recognised in respect of the Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC). These favourable movements were offset by a £0.8 million increase in unrecognised tax losses, resulting in the overall net credit.
The movement in the unrecognised tax losses of £0.8 million is due to a £3.2 million net reduction in recognised tax losses, at a tax rate of 25%. The reduction in tax losses are in respect of £7.7 million (credit of £1.9 million, at a tax rate of 25%) of prior year losses being utilised during the year, less £4.5 million of losses that have been derecognised in FY25 (debit of £1.0 million, at a tax rate of 25%) to bring the deferred tax liability to £nil.
The losses do not have an expiry date.
4. EARNINGS/(LOSS) PER SHARE
The calculation of the basic earnings/(loss) per share is based on the profits/(losses) attributable to the shareholders of Frontier Developments plc divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the year.
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Profit/(loss) attributable to shareholders (£'000) |
16,387 |
(21,472) |
Weighted average number of shares |
38,658,275 |
38,608,645 |
Basic earnings/(loss) per share (pence) |
42.4 |
(55.6) |
The calculation of the diluted earnings/(loss) per share is based on the profits/(losses) attributable to the shareholders of Frontier Developments plc divided by the weighted average number of shares in issue during the year as adjusted for the dilutive effect of share options.
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Profit/(loss) attributable to shareholders (£'000) |
16,387 |
(21,472) |
Diluted weighted average number of shares |
40,265,330 |
38,608,645 |
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share (pence) |
40.7 |
(55.6) |
The reconciliation of the average number of Ordinary Shares used for basic and diluted earnings/(loss) per share is as follows:
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Weighted average number of shares |
38,658,275 |
38,608,645 |
Dilutive effect of share options |
1,607,055 |
- |
Diluted average number of shares |
40,265,330 |
38,608,645 |
5. OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
The Group's other intangible assets comprise game technology, game developments, third-party software and IP licences. Game technology includes Frontier's COBRA game engine and other technology which supports the development and publication of games. The game developments category includes capitalised development costs for base game and PDLC assets. Third-party software includes subscriptions to development and business software. Intangible assets for IP licences are recognised at the execution of the licence, based on the minimum guarantees payable by the Group to the IP owner.
|
Game technology £'000 |
Game developments £'000 |
Third-party software £'000 |
IP licences £'000 |
Total £'000 |
Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
At 31 May 2023 |
23,182 |
167,185 |
2,877 |
11,185 |
204,429 |
Additions |
4,558 |
21,963 |
436 |
1,839 |
28,796 |
Disposals |
- |
(490) |
- |
- |
(490) |
Exchange rate movement |
- |
(150) |
(1) |
- |
(151) |
At 31 May 2024 |
27,740 |
188,508 |
3,312 |
13,024 |
232,584 |
Additions |
5,024 |
23,255 |
276 |
- |
28,555 |
Disposals |
- |
(5,841) |
- |
(1,916) |
(7,757) |
Exchange rate movement |
- |
(406) |
(3) |
- |
(409) |
At 31 May 2025 |
32,764 |
205,516 |
3,585 |
11,108 |
252,973 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amortisation and impairment |
|
|
|
|
|
At 31 May 2023 |
16,961 |
122,212 |
2,130 |
6,139 |
147,442 |
Amortisation charges |
3,014 |
27,951 |
443 |
1,702 |
33,110 |
Impairment charges |
- |
15,502 |
- |
1,428 |
16,930 |
Disposals |
- |
(490) |
- |
- |
(490) |
Exchange rate movement |
- |
(109) |
(1) |
- |
(110) |
At 31 May 2024 |
19,975 |
165,066 |
2,572 |
9,269 |
196,882 |
Amortisation charges |
3,577 |
16,100 |
472 |
- |
20,149 |
Disposals |
- |
(5,769) |
- |
- |
(5,769) |
Exchange rate movement |
- |
(257) |
(3) |
- |
(260) |
At 31 May 2025 |
23,552 |
175,140 |
3,041 |
9,269 |
211,002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net book value |
|
|
|
|
|
Net book value at 31 May 2025 |
9,212 |
30,376 |
544 |
1,839 |
41,971 |
Net book value at 31 May 2024 |
7,765 |
23,442 |
740 |
3,755 |
35,702 |
Amortisation charges for other intangible assets that relate to game technology, game developments and third-party software are expensed within research and development expenses. Amortisation charges for IP licences are typically charged to cost of sales, which reflects the IP licence royalties which the minimum guarantees relate to.
Accumulated cost of £5.84 million and accumulated amortisation of £5.77 million have been disposed of in respect to Stranded: Alien Dawn intangible assets included within game developments as a result of the sale of the Stranded: Alien Dawn publishing rights on 1 April 2025.
During FY25, commercial discussions with an IP partner resulted in the voluntary termination of a contract for a future game before full development started, which resulted in the disposal of £1.92 million within IP licences.
The recoverable amount of each of the assets at 31 May 2025 is determined from the value in use. The key assumption in calculating the value in use was the expected future cashflows. A five-year bottom-up forecast for FY26 to FY30 inclusive has been created as a basis of the expected future cashflows, with a pre-tax discount rate of 10% (31 May 2024: 10%) being applied to the future cashflows. The Directors have assessed the sensitivity of the impairment test to incorporate reasonable possible changes in the key assumptions and noted that no material impairment exists in any cases. Climate change is not expected to have a material impact on future cashflows. No impairment charges were required as a result of the impairment tests at 31 May 2025 (31 May 2024: £16.9 million).
6. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - NON-STATUTORY MEASURES
In addition to measures of financial performance derived from IFRS-reported results - revenue, operating profit, operating profit margin percentage, earnings per share, and cash balance - we have published and provided commentary on our financial performance measurements, derived from non-statutory calculations. We believe these supplementary measures, when read in conjunction with the measures derived directly from statutory financial reporting, provide a better understanding of our overall financial performance.
EBITDA
EBITDA, being earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, is commonly used by investors when assessing the financial performance of companies. It attempts to arrive at a 'cash profit' figure by adjusting operating profit for non-cash depreciation and amortisation charges. In our case, EBITDA does not provide a clear picture of our cash profitability, as it adds back amortisation charges relating to game developments, but without deducting the investment costs for those developments, resulting in a profit measure which does not take into account any of the costs associated with developing games. Since EBITDA is a commonly used financial performance measure, it has been included below for the benefit of readers of the accounts who may value that measure of performance.
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Operating profit/(loss) |
12,651 |
(28,413) |
Restructuring costs |
- |
1,405 |
Depreciation and amortisation |
23,435 |
36,892 |
Impairment of other intangible assets |
- |
16,930 |
EBITDA |
36,086 |
26,814 |
Adjusted Operating Profit
Our Adjusted Operating Profit measure, in our view, provides a fairer representation of underlying 'cash profit' than both Operating Profit and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation). Adjusted Operating Profit measures Frontier's financial performance after eliminating non-cash development cost accounting adjustments (cost capitalisation, amortisation charges and impairment charges), non-cash share charges, non-operating items (including restructuring costs), and after recording the full benefits of development-related tax and R&D expenditure credits against the expenditure they relate to. This effectively provides the cash profit figure that would have been achieved if we expensed all game development investment as it was incurred, net of those tax and R&D expenditure credits, rather than capitalising those costs and amortising them over several years. The new measure also includes the lease costs of our studios, which are a material operating cost. These were previously excluded from Adjusted EBITDA due to these costs being recorded as depreciation under IFRS 16 Leases.
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Operating profit/(loss) |
12,651 |
(28,413) |
Add back non-cash intangible asset amortisation charges for game developments and game technology |
19,677 |
30,965 |
Add back non-cash intangible asset impairment charges |
- |
16,930 |
Deduct capitalised investment costs in game developments and game technology |
(28,279) |
(26,520) |
Add back non-cash share-based payment expenses |
2,368 |
2,778 |
Add back restructuring costs |
- |
1,405 |
Adjustment to record the full benefits of tax and R&D expenditure credits against the expenditure they relate to |
6,767 |
6,594 |
Adjustments to tax and R&D expenditure credits of prior years |
62 |
837 |
Adjusted Operating Profit |
13,246 |
4,576 |
Adjusted EBITDA
As communicated on 11 June 2025, Frontier has switched its primary alternative performance measure from Adjusted EBITDA to Adjusted Operating Profit. This change provides a more accurate representation of Frontier's performance and more closely reflects cash generation, including the recognition of tax and R&D expenditure credits. For FY26 onwards, we will cease to report Adjusted EBITDA and only report Adjusted Operating Profit.
|
12 months to 31 May 2025 |
12 months to 31 May 2024 |
Operating profit/(loss) |
12,651 |
(28,413) |
Add back non-cash intangible asset amortisation charges for game developments and game technology |
19,677 |
30,965 |
Add back non-cash intangible asset impairment charges |
- |
16,930 |
Deduct capitalised investment costs in game developments and game technology |
(28,279) |
(26,520) |
Add back non-cash depreciation charges |
3,286 |
3,782 |
Deduct non-cash movements in unrealised exchange gains on forward contracts |
(273) |
(37) |
Add back non-cash share-based payment expenses |
2,368 |
2,778 |
Add back restructuring costs |
- |
1,405 |
Adjusted EBITDA |
9,430 |
890 |
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