ConnectingExcellence - Interim results for the period ended 31 Dec 2025
Announcement provided by
Connecting Excellence Group PLC · XCE26/03/2026 07:00
26 March 2026
Connecting Excellence Group Plc
("Connecting Excellence Group", "XCE", the "Group" or the "Company")
Interim results for the period ended 31 December 2025
Net fee income growth driven by higher value placements following successful IPO
Connecting Excellence Group Plc (AQSE: XCE / OTCQB: XCELF), the international executive recruitment group with a long term, ambitious and disciplined Bitcoin (BTC) treasury strategy, is pleased to report its interim results for the period from incorporation on 14 May 2025 to 31 December 2025 ("H1 2026" or "the Period").
H1 2026 Financial Highlights:
· Group revenue/net fee income for the Period:
· Net fee income for the half year from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025 increased by 20.3% to
· Group gross profit for the Period:
· Spencer Riley Limited gross profit for the period:
· Group EBITDA for the Period:
· Group operating loss for the Period:
· Spencer Riley operating profit for the Period:
· Group cash balance at Period end:
· Group Bitcoin treasury holding: 40.36 BTC at a value of
*Period includes an exceptional item of
H1 2026 Strategic and Operational Highlights:
· Raised
· Successful Initial Public Offering ("IPO") in December 2025, with the Company joining the Access segment of the Aquis Stock Exchange Growth Market and raising
· Continued development of the Group's international executive recruitment platform, Spencer Riley, with a focus on high growth sectors including engineering, logistics, life sciences, automation, technology, professional services and business advisory and consultancy
· Development of a dedicated Bitcoin executive recruitment division, supporting talent placement within Bitcoin-native companies and traditional businesses seeking Bitcoin expertise
· Acquired 31.08 BTC at average price of
· Launch of the XCE BTC Bond in December 2025, with the first tranche issued for 10 BTC settled in January 2026, providing a scalable and flexible mechanism to grow the Group's Bitcoin treasury while preserving operational capital
Post-Period & Outlook:
· Strong post-period trading with the Group achieving its highest monthly net fee income to date in January 2026, generating
· Expansion of Bitcoin treasury:
o Acquired 2.06 BTC with IPO funds and
o Total of BTC 52.42 held in treasury as of the date of this announcement, including 10 BTC held in relation to XCE's 2026 Bitcoin-denominated convertible bond programme
· Shares commenced trading on the OTCQB market in February 2026 under the ticker XCELF, to support access for international investors
· Continued growth of the Spencer Riley recruitment platform across high-growth sectors including engineering, logistics, life sciences, automation, technology, professional services, and B2B services
· The Board continues to explore strategic acquisitions within the executive recruitment sector and remains focused on aligning performance-based incentives with shareholder value.
Scott Ellam, Chief Executive Officer of Connecting Excellence Group, commented: "We are pleased to report a strong first half, with net fee income up 20.3% year-on-year, driven by higher-value placements across our key sectors.
"Our successful IPO in December 2025 was a pivotal milestone for the Company and has strengthened our balance sheet and enabled us to accelerate both our international executive recruitment business and strategically expanded our Bitcoin treasury, demonstrating the effectiveness of our dual flywheel business model.
"Looking forward, we remain focused on driving further recruitment revenue growth, developing our dedicated Bitcoin executive recruitment division, and leveraging innovative structures such as the XCE BTC Bond to grow our treasury while preserving operational capital. Together, these initiatives create a self-reinforcing flywheel that positions Connecting Excellence Group for sustainable long-term growth, market leadership, and enhanced shareholder value."
About Connecting Excellence Group Plc ("XCE"):
XCE is an international executive recruitment group with a long term, ambitious and disciplined Bitcoin treasury strategy. The flagship recruitment company, Spencer Riley, places senior executives with clients globally across a number of high growth markets including engineering, logistics, life sciences, automation, tech, professional services and B2B services.
The Bitcoin treasury strategy sets the foundation for the Company's scalable recruitment business to attract and retain high performing talent with individual performance linked share option incentives to increase revenue, profit and cashflows. In the future, XCE can also expand market share through strategic acquisitions, at very little cash cost, using performance-based equity incentives to provide immediate and ongoing shareholder value. XCE is also building a dedicated Bitcoin executive recruitment division, enabling executives to find their role within either Bitcoin businesses or traditional businesses looking for Bitcoin talent worldwide and accelerating corporate education, integration and adoption of Bitcoin.
Website: xce.io
Follow on X: XCE - Connecting Excellence Group
Follow on Linkedin: XCE - Connecting Excellence Group
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Connecting Excellence Group ("XCE") Scott Ellam, Chief Executive Officer Angus Gladish, Chief Financial Officer |
Tel: +44(0) 113 390 8623
|
|
AlbR Capital Limited (Aquis Corporate Adviser and Joint Broker) Guy Miller |
Tel: +44(0) 20 7469 0930 |
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Allenby Capital (Joint Broker) Matt Butlin (Head of Equities) Nick Harriss |
Tel: +44(0) 20 3328 5656
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|
Yellow Jersey PR (Financial PR) Charles Goodwin, Annabelle Wills |
Tel: +44(0) 20 3004 9512 |
The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.
Chief Executive Officer's Statement
For the period ended 31 December 2025
I am pleased to report that the Company has delivered an impressive H1 2026 with the growth of both our executive recruitment business, Spencer Riley, and our Bitcoin treasury. In December 2025, XCE successfully completed its IPO and joined the Access segment of the Aquis Stock Exchange Growth Market, raising gross proceeds of
Spencer Riley
Spencer Riley delivered a strong performance in the first half with record H1 net fee income for the period from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2025 of
Bitcoin Treasury
XCE has a deep conviction that, over time, Bitcoin will serve as an effective store of value and strategic reserve asset, offering an asymmetric return profile and potential upside not traditionally accessible via standard corporate treasury strategies. As highlighted at the time of the Company's IPO, XCE's treasury strategy is to preserve long-term value, increase Bitcoin per share and generate additional balance sheet strength over time. In line with this, post-IPO the Company immediately began to execute its Bitcoin treasury strategy and acquired a total of 31.08 BTC at average price of
At the end of December 2025, the Company launched its 2026 Bitcoin-denominated convertible bond programme, the XCE BTC Bond, as a key post-IPO capital-raising tool. This innovative structure designed by the XCE team is the first of its kind to incorporate a BTC price differentiator. The programme supports the Company's mission to connect human capital to digital capital, driving operational growth in recruitment while compounding BTC per share for long-term shareholder value. The bond launched with a first tranche issued for 10 BTC, which was settled in early January 2026.
Post-Period
Spencer Riley has made a good start to the second half and recorded its best January performance to date with
As of the date of this statement, XCE currently holds 52.42 BTC in its BTC treasury, including 10 BTC held in relation to XCE's 2026 Bitcoin-denominated convertible bond programme.
As part of the Group's strategy to broaden its shareholder base and increase access to international investors, in February 2026, XCE's shares commenced trading on the OTCQB market. At the same time, the XCE team has spoken at several industry related events as part of its corporate marketing to promote both its recruitment services and BTC treasury strategy, and how it is educating other corporates on how to integrate a BTC treasury into their businesses.
Strategy & Outlook
XCE is beginning the implementation of our industry leading talent attraction strategy, targeting hiring experienced recruiters with a proven capability of adding an additional
XCE's capital markets and Bitcoin-focussed board are attending, keynote speaking and panel speaking on a number of global podcasts, international industry events and building on relationships with partners, clients and investors targeting significant increases in the BTC held within XCE Group.
Scott Ellam
Chief Executive Officer
25 March 2026
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the period ended 31 December 2025
|
|
|
|
|
Period ended |
|
|
|
|
|
31 December 2025 |
|
|
Notes |
|
|
Unaudited £'000 |
|
Continuing operations |
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue |
4 |
|
|
1,211 |
|
Cost of sales |
|
|
|
(433) |
|
Gross profit |
|
|
|
778 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administrative expenses |
|
|
|
(837) |
|
Operating loss |
|
|
|
(59) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finance costs |
|
|
|
(71) |
|
Loss before taxation |
|
|
|
(130) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax |
|
|
|
(20) |
|
Loss for the period |
|
|
|
(150) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income |
|
|
|
|
|
Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss: |
|
|
|
|
|
Fair value loss on cryptocurrency assets, net of tax |
6 |
|
|
(170) |
|
Total other comprehensive loss |
|
|
|
(170) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total comprehensive loss |
|
|
|
(320) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss per Ordinary share (pence) |
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted |
5 |
|
|
(0.32) |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
For the period ended 31 December 2025
|
Company registration number: 16451358 |
|
|
|
As at |
|
|
|
|
|
31 December 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
|
Notes |
|
|
£'000 |
|
Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current assets |
|
|
|
|
|
Intangible assets |
6 |
|
|
2,621 |
|
Property, plant and equipment |
|
|
|
9 |
|
Total non-current assets |
|
|
|
2,630 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets |
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other receivables |
|
|
|
1,375 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
|
1,397 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
|
2,772 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL ASSETS |
|
|
|
5,402 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital |
7 |
|
|
- |
|
Share premium |
7 |
|
|
4,400 |
|
Capital redemption reserve |
|
|
|
(295) |
|
Revaluation reserve |
|
|
|
182 |
|
Accumulated losses |
|
|
|
(164) |
|
Total equity |
|
|
|
4,123 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other payables |
|
|
|
629 |
|
Derivative financial liability |
|
|
|
646 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
|
1,279 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES |
|
|
|
5,402 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
For the period ended 31 December 2025
|
|
Share capital |
Share premium |
Capital redemption reserve |
Revaluation reserve |
Accumulated losses |
Total equity |
|
|
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
£'000 |
|
Shares issued on incorporation |
- |
- |
- |
352 |
(14) |
338 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss for the period |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(150) |
(150) |
|
Other comprehensive loss |
- |
- |
- |
(170) |
- |
(170) |
|
Total comprehensive loss for the period |
- |
- |
- |
(170) |
(150) |
(320) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares issued |
50 |
4,800 |
- |
- |
- |
4,850 |
|
Issue costs |
- |
(400) |
- |
- |
- |
(400) |
|
Shares redeemed |
- |
- |
(295) |
- |
- |
(295) |
|
Deferral of shares |
(50) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
(50) |
|
Total transactions with owners |
- |
4,400 |
(295) |
- |
- |
4,105 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 31 December 2025 |
- |
4,400 |
(295) |
182 |
(164) |
4,123 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
For the period ended 31 December 2025
|
|
|
|
|
Period ended |
|
|
Notes |
|
|
31 December 2025 Unaudited |
|
|
|
|
|
£'000 |
|
Cash flow from operating activities |
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before tax |
|
|
|
(130) |
|
Adjustments for: |
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Finance costs |
|
|
|
71 |
|
Changes in working capital: |
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in trade and other receivables |
|
|
|
(752) |
|
Decrease in trade and other payables |
|
|
|
416 |
|
Cash used by operations |
|
|
|
(390) |
|
Income taxes |
|
|
|
(74) |
|
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
|
|
(464) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from investing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
Purchase of intangible assets |
6 |
|
|
(2,070) |
|
Purchase of property, plant and equipment |
|
|
|
(8) |
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
|
|
|
(2,078) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities |
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from fundraise, net of issue costs |
7 |
|
|
4,400 |
|
Repayment of borrowings |
|
|
|
(809) |
|
Finance costs |
|
|
|
(71) |
|
Net cash generated by financing activities |
|
|
|
3,520 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents |
|
|
|
978 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
|
|
|
419 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
|
|
|
1,397 |
Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
For the period ended 31 December 2025
1. General information
Connecting Excellence Group Plc (the "Company") is a public limited company and is incorporated and domiciled in
On 2 September 2025, the Company acquired the entire issued share capital of Spencer Riley Limited and SPE 366 Ltd and on 11 December 2025, the Company listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange.
2. Basis of preparation
These condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the results of the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Group") for the period from incorporation of the Company on 14 May 2025 to 31 December 2025 and have not been audited but have been reviewed by the Company's auditors. These condensed consolidated interim financial statements do not comprise statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006.
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
The interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements for the periods ended 30 June 2025 within the Company's Admission Document, which were prepared in accordance with
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements are presented in thousands of Pounds Sterling ("£'000"), which is the functional and presentational currency of the Group.
On 2 September 2025, the Company entered into a share-for-share arrangement pursuant to which the Company acquired 100% of the share capital of Spencer Riley Limited and SPE 366 Ltd in exchange for shares in the Company. This transaction was considered a combination of entities under common control and falls out of the scope of IFRS 3 'Business Combinations'. IFRS does not specifically state how combinations of entities under common control are accounted for. Therefore, in accordance with IAS 8 'Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors', the Directors have considered merger accounting principles, as set out in FRS 102, The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the
Going concern
As at 31 December 2025 the Group had a cash balance of
The Directors have considered the applicability of the going concern basis in the preparation of these interim financial statements. This included the review of internal budgets and financial results which show, taking into account reasonably probable changes in financial performance that the Group should be able to operate within the level of its current funding arrangements.
The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group will have ample resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they have adopted the going concern basis in the preparation of the interim financial statements.
3. Accounting policies
i) Basis of Consolidation
Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Company. Control exists when the Company is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.
The consolidated interim financial statements consolidate the interim financial statements and the results of the Company and its subsidiary undertakings Spencer Riley Limited and SPE 366 Ltd, made up to 31 December 2025.
Intragroup balances, and any gains and losses or income and expenses arising from intragroup transactions, are eliminated in preparing the interim financial statements.
ii) Intangible assets
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is accounted for as an intangible asset with indefinite useful lives and measured at fair value with revaluation gains or losses recognised in other comprehensive income or profit or loss, respectively. Fair value is determined by reference to an active market at the reporting date. The Group's holding in Bitcoin is accounted for as an intangible asset with an indefinite useful economic life. Bitcoin is traded in an active market and the Directors have adopted the revaluation measurement model.
Bitcoin purchases are initially recognised at cost and are subsequently re-valued to fair value based on the market price available on global exchanges. Increases in the carrying amounts arising on revaluation are recognised, net of tax, in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the revaluation reserve in equity. To the extent that the increase reverses a decrease previously recognised in profit or loss, the increase is first recognised in profit or loss. Decreases that reverse previous increases of the same asset are first recognised in other comprehensive income to the extent of the remaining surplus attributable to the asset. All other decreases are charged to profit or loss.
Bitcoin is held for long term appreciation in line with the Group's treasury policy and therefore is classified as a non-current asset in the consolidated statement of financial position
4. Revenue
An analysis of the Group's revenue for the year, for continuing operations, is as follows:
|
|
|
|
Period ended |
|
|
|
|
31 December 2025 Unaudited £'000 |
|
Continuing operations |
|
|
|
|
Revenue from recruitment placements |
|
|
1,211 |
|
|
|
|
1,211 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Timing of revenue recognition: |
|
|
|
|
At a point in time |
|
|
1,211 |
|
|
|
|
1,211 |
|
|
|
|
|
No single customer accounted for more than 10% of total revenue.
5. Loss per share
Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to equity holders of the Company by the weighted average number of Ordinary shares in issue during the period. As the Group is loss making, the effect of instruments that convert into Ordinary shares is considered anti-dilutive.
The weighted average number of shares used in the calculations are set out below:
|
|
|
|
Period ended |
|
|
|
|
31 December 2025 Unaudited £'000 |
|
Loss attributable to equity holders of the Company |
|
|
(150) |
|
Weighted average number of Ordinary shares in issue |
|
|
46,268,748 |
|
Basic and diluted per share (pence) |
|
|
(0.32) |
6. Intangible assets
|
|
|
|
Bitcoin |
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
£'000 |
|
£'000 |
|
Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 14 May 2025 (Unaudited) |
|
|
370 |
|
370 |
|
Acquisition of subsidiary |
|
|
2,070 |
|
2,070 |
|
As at 31 December 2025 (Unaudited) |
|
|
2,440 |
|
2,440 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revaluation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 14 May 2025 (Unaudited) |
|
|
352 |
|
352 |
|
Revaluation during the period |
|
|
(171) |
|
(171) |
|
As at 31 December 2025 (Unaudited) |
|
|
181 |
|
181 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carrying amount |
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at 31 December 2025 (Unaudited) |
|
|
2,621 |
|
2,621 |
The Group held Bitcoin during the period, which is recorded at cost on the day of acquisition. Increases in fair value between acquisition and reporting date are recorded in other comprehensive income and decreases in profit or loss.
7. Share capital
|
|
No of shares |
|
Share capital |
|
Share premium |
|
Total |
|
|
No. |
|
£ |
|
£ |
|
£ |
|
As at 14 May 2025 |
201 |
|
201 |
|
- |
|
201 |
|
Issue of 49,921 Ordinary shares |
49,921 |
|
49,921 |
|
- |
|
49,921 |
|
Sub-division of shares |
9,021,960,000 |
|
50,122 |
|
- |
|
50,122 |
|
Capital reduction |
(14,067,858) |
|
(78) |
|
- |
|
(78) |
|
As at 13 November 2025 |
9,007,892,142 |
|
50,044 |
|
- |
|
50,044 |
|
Share consolidation and deferral of shares |
105,975,201 |
|
106 |
|
- |
|
106 |
|
Shares issued on IPO |
276,190,486 |
|
276 |
|
4,799,724 |
|
4,800,000 |
|
Share issue costs |
- |
|
- |
|
(399,227) |
|
(399,227) |
|
As at 31 December 2025 |
382,165,687 |
|
382 |
|
4,400,497 |
|
4,400,879 |
On 13 November 2025, the Company entered into a number of arrangements regarding its share capital, resulting in a change in the share structure. The changes to the share structure included the following:
· An issue of 49,921
· A sub-division of the shares from a par value of
· A capital reduction of 14,067,858 shares; and
· A consolidation of the shares from a par value of
On 11 December 2025, following successful admission to Aquis the Company issued 276,190,486 Ordinary shares for net proceeds of
8. Related party transactions
Related parties comprise of key management personnel who are the Directors of the Company.
As at the balance sheet date of 31 December 2025, amounts owed by P W Cresco Ltd, a Company under common control, to the Group were
9. Events after the reporting date
On 5 January 2026 the Company announced that it had made further Bitcoin purchases up until 2 January 2026. The Company purchased one Bitcoin on 2 January 2026 for a purchase price of
On 2 February 2026 the Company announced that it had made a further Bitcoin purchase on 30 January 2026 of 1.065 Bitcoin for a purchase price of
On 18 February 2026 the Company announced that it began trading on the OTC Venture Market ("OTCQB") in
Important Notice:
Connecting Excellence Group PLC holds treasury reserves and surplus cash in Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a type of digital asset. Whilst the Board of Directors of the Company considers holding Bitcoin to be in the best interests of the Company, the Board remains aware that the financial regulator in the
At the outset, it is important to note that an investment in the Company is not an investment in Bitcoin, either directly or by proxy. However, the Board of Directors of the Company consider Bitcoin to be an appropriate store of value and growth for the Company's reserves and, accordingly, the Company is materially exposed to Bitcoin. Such an approach is innovative, and the Board of Directors of the Company wish to be clear and transparent with prospective and actual investors in the Company on the Company's position in this regard.
The Company is neither authorised nor regulated by the FCA. And Bitcoin is unregulated in the
However, Bitcoin is formally recognised as personal property in the
The Board of Directors of the Company with a history of a Bitcoin treasury prior to becoming a public company, has taken the decision to invest in Bitcoin, and in doing so is mindful of the special risks Bitcoin presents to the Company's financial position. These risks include (but are not limited to): (i) the value of Bitcoin can be highly volatile, with value dropping as quickly as it can rise; (ii) the Bitcoin market is largely unregulated - there is a risk of losing money due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and counterparty failure; (iii) the Company may not be able to sell its Bitcoin at will - the ability to sell Bitcoin depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at the relevant time, with operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds potentially causing unwanted delay. The Board of Directors of the Company does not subscribe to such a negative view, and therefore ascribes to the 'Bitcoin, not crypto' mantra and has a 'Bitcoin only ethos'. However, prospective investors in the Company are encouraged to do their own research and verify before investing.
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