Filtronic — Record order from SpaceX

Filtronic (AIM: FTC)

Last close As at 27/08/2025

GBP1.43

3.00 (2.14%)

Market capitalisation

GBP314m

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Research: TMT

Filtronic — Record order from SpaceX

Hot on the heels of a $32.5m/£24.0m order in June, SpaceX has just placed a $62.5m/£47.3m order, the highest yet. This is for E-band solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) manufactured using gallium nitride (GaN) for delivery over FY27 and FY28. The strategic agreement has been revised to include GaN-based product in the second warrant tranche and for warrants to vest with product delivery rather than order receipt. We maintain our forecasts, with the order providing significant coverage of our FY27 revenue estimate.

Katherine Thompson

Written by

Katherine Thompson

Director

Tech hardware and equipment

Contract win

28 August 2025

Price 143.00p
Market cap £313m

Net cash at end FY25 (excludes property leases)

£12.3m

Shares in issue

219.1m
Free float 70.9%
Code FTC
Primary exchange AIM
Secondary exchange N/A
Price Performance
% 1m 3m 12m
Abs (5.6) 17.7 83.3
52-week high/low 173.0p 61.5p

Business description

Filtronic is a designer and manufacturer of advanced radio frequency (RF) communications products, supplying a number of market sectors including mobile telecommunications infrastructure, space, public safety, aerospace and defence.

Next events

AGM

October 2025

Analyst

Katherine Thompson
+44 (0)20 3077 5700

Filtronic is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited

Note: EBITDA, PBT and EPS (diluted) are normalised, excluding amortisation of acquired intangibles, exceptional items and share-based payments.

Year end Revenue (£m) EBITDA (£m) PBT (£m) EPS (p) DPS (p) P/E (x) Yield (%)
5/24 25.4 4.9 3.4 1.43 0.00 100.1 N/A
5/25 56.3 17.0 15.1 6.83 0.00 21.0 N/A
5/26e 54.1 10.1 6.3 2.31 0.00 62.0 N/A
5/27e 59.6 11.8 7.7 2.68 0.00 53.3 N/A

SpaceX first in line for GaN product

SpaceX has placed an order worth $62.5m/£47.3m for Filtronic’s next-generation proprietary GaN E-band product. This is the first GaN product from Filtronic’s next-generation product line and can deliver double the output power of the existing gallium arsenide (GaAs) product line. Compared to GaAs, GaN supports higher power, improved efficiency and better thermal performance, which makes it ideal for use in Filtronic’s target markets (satellite communications, aerospace and defence). The product sets a new benchmark for size, weight, power and cost in this frequency domain.

Revised warrant agreement

Filtronic and SpaceX have revised their strategic partnership agreement to include E-band GaN products in the second warrant tranche (which previously required orders for SSPA products at frequencies other than E-band in return for warrants worth 5% of shares outstanding). The vesting of these warrants will now depend on product delivery rather than order receipt and double the volume is required to fully vest. With targeted delivery starting in FY27, we expect these warrants to vest over the course of FY27 and FY28, at which point we expect SpaceX to have vested warrants equivalent to c 15% of outstanding shares.

Valuation: Factoring in sustained growth

Performing a reverse discounted cash flow valuation with a WACC of 8.3%, the current share price implies revenue growth of 18.8% per year for FY28–35e, with an average EBITDA margin of 23.8% over that period. In our view, the strengthened relationship with SpaceX, the potential to widen the customer base in the space market and the growing penetration of the aerospace and defence market all provide avenues for sustainable growth.

Update on SpaceX strategic agreement

In April 2024, Filtronic entered into a strategic agreement with SpaceX. In return for a specified volume and type of orders over a period of five years (maximum $60m/£48m) across two tranches, Filtronic agreed to issue warrants to SpaceX that would enable SpaceX to subscribe for up to 10% of the company’s existing share capital at an exercise price of 33p.

In March 2025, the company extended the agreement to add to the first tranche (described as tranche 3 below).

Below we update the tranches for the amendment to the agreement:

  • Tranche 1: warrants for up to 10,856,055 shares (up to 5% of the existing share capital). Warrants vest on the receipt of purchase orders against a staged vesting profile for E-band SSPAs. All warrants will vest once $37m/£30m of irrevocable purchase orders are placed. 100% vested.
  • Tranche 2: warrants for up to 10,856,055 shares (up to 5% of existing share capital). Warrants will vest on the delivery of product against a staged vesting profile for SSPA modules at other frequency bands or E-band SSPAs manufactured using GaN. All warrants will vest once $46m/£34m of product has been delivered (double the previous volume). No warrants have vested yet – we assume they will vest over the course of FY27 and FY28.
  • Tranche 3: warrants for up to 10,856,055 shares (up to 5% of the existing share capital) at an exercise price of 92.8p. Warrants will vest on the receipt of purchase orders against a staged vesting profile for E-band SSPAs. All warrants will vest once $37m/£30m of irrevocable purchase orders have been placed. 100% vested.

A further condition is that SpaceX must place a minimum order value of $10m in each subsequent 12-month period from the contract date to be delivered within 12 months. The timing between purchase orders must not exceed 12 months. If the order flow is not maintained in accordance with these conditions within the five-year warrant period, the warrants will expire six months from that date.

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