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Carclo PLC (GB:CAR)
LSE:CAR

Carclo plc (CAR) AI Stock Analysis

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GB:CAR

Carclo plc

(LSE:CAR)

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Neutral 49 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:49Neutral
Price Target:
49.00 p
▼(-16.10% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:12/07/25
Carclo plc's overall stock score is primarily impacted by its financial instability and bearish technical indicators. While the earnings call and corporate events provide positive sentiment and confidence, the company's financial challenges and valuation concerns weigh heavily on the score.
Positive Factors
Achievement of transformation targets
Meeting and exceeding medium-term ROS and ROCE targets reflects durable operating improvement and stronger capital allocation. Higher returns imply the business can generate sustained operating profits from invested capital, supporting reinvestment, resilience across cycles and long-term shareholder value creation.
Portfolio repositioning to higher-margin areas
Shifting portfolio away from low-margin, capital-intensive activities toward regulated, higher-growth markets (medical, aerospace, specialty) improves structural margin profile and reduces cyclicality. This strategic repositioning should support steadier margins and recurring program revenue over multiple years.
Improved cash generation and debt reduction
Substantially stronger free cash flow and demonstrable net debt reduction enhance financial flexibility. Improved cash conversion supports ongoing deleveraging, funds investment in higher-return segments, and lowers refinancing risk—durable drivers of balance-sheet stability and strategic optionality.
Negative Factors
Negative shareholders' equity
A negative equity position is a structural weakness that limits borrowing capacity and investor confidence. It indicates retained losses or balance-sheet strain, making the company more vulnerable to shocks, constraining capital investment and increasing dependence on cash generation or external recapitalisation.
Significant pension scheme deficit
A multi-decade pension deficit is a persistent cash and accounting obligation that can require ongoing contributions, increasing fixed outflows and complicating capital allocation. It can also affect covenant headroom and reduce available cash for growth or shareholder returns over the medium term.
Low net margin and declining revenue
Very low net margins combined with recent revenue contraction suggest limited ability to convert sales into retained earnings. This constrains investment capacity and makes the company reliant on structural cost or mix improvements to sustain profitability, posing medium-term execution risk.

Carclo plc (CAR) vs. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWC)

Carclo plc Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCarclo plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells fine tolerance injection molded plastic parts. It operates in two segments, Technical Plastics and Aerospace. The Technical Plastics segment offers fine tolerance and injection molded plastic components for use in the medical, diagnostics, optical, and electronic products. This segment also designs, develops, and manufactures bespoke injection moulded optical components and assembled devices for various applications. The Aerospace segment manufactures various specialist components, such as control cables, specialist machined components, mechanical assemblies, aerofoil blading, streamline wires, and tie rods for the commercial and military aerospace industries. The company operates in the United Kingdom, North America, the Czech Republic, China, India, and internationally. Carclo plc was incorporated in 1924 and is based in Ossett, the United Kingdom.
How the Company Makes MoneyCarclo makes money primarily by manufacturing and supplying engineered products to business customers under contract, generating revenue from (1) LED technologies and (2) technical plastics. 1) LED technologies (Wipac Technology): Revenue is earned from designing and manufacturing LED-based lighting and related electronic solutions for OEM and tiered suppliers, particularly in automotive and other demanding industrial uses. Income is typically generated through the sale of production parts and assemblies (and associated tooling/engineering activity where contracted), with earnings influenced by customer program wins, production volumes over the life of a platform, product mix, and long-term supply arrangements common in automotive supply chains. 2) Precision injection moulding (Carclo Technical Plastics): Revenue is earned by producing precision-moulded plastic components and assemblies for customers in markets such as medical devices, aerospace/defence, and industrial. The model generally combines (a) payments for design-for-manufacture/engineering support and tooling where applicable, and (b) recurring revenue from serial manufacture of moulded parts and assemblies. Profitability is driven by manufacturing utilisation, process yields, customer mix, and the ability to meet stringent quality/regulatory requirements (notably in medical). Across both areas, Carclo’s earnings are supported by its specialist manufacturing capabilities, quality systems, and customer relationships that can lead to repeat business and multi-year production programs. Specific major partnerships, customer identities, or contract terms are not provided here: null.

Carclo plc Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 21, 2025
(Q2-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jun 25, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a strong positive trajectory for the company, with significant achievements in financial performance and strategic repositioning. Despite some challenges such as revenue decline due to FX impacts and a pension deficit, the overall sentiment is positive due to successful transformation and growth in key areas.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Achievement of Transformation Goals
The company has met and exceeded its medium-term targets set in 2023, achieving a 10.1% return on sales and a 28.8% return on capital employed, marking the completion of its transformation from volume to value.
Improved Financial Metrics
Despite a drop in reported revenue due to FX headwinds and the exit from non-core activities, underlying operating profit increased from GBP 3.4 million to GBP 5.5 million, and EBITDA rose to GBP 8.6 million, representing 15% of revenue.
Successful Portfolio Repositioning
The company has exited low-margin, capital-intensive businesses and has experienced 4% growth in CTP Manufacturing Solutions and 14% in Specialty, both on a constant currency basis.
Strong Cash Generation and Debt Reduction
Operating cash generation was GBP 3.9 million, and net debt was reduced by 3% compared to the previous year, now standing at GBP 24.5 million.
Strategic Market Focus
The company is focusing on high-growth, regulated markets such as IVD solutions, drug delivery, and aerospace, with strong relationships in these sectors and significant market growth rates.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decline
Reported revenue has dropped due to FX headwinds and the previous year's revenue from non-core activities that have since been exited.
Pension Scheme Deficit
The company is actively managing a pension scheme deficit, which has decreased from GBP 83 million in 2021 to GBP 53 million at the end of September, but remains a significant obligation.
Company Guidance
During the call, the company provided guidance on several key financial metrics, demonstrating robust performance and steady progress. The return on sales was reported at 10.1%, surpassing their medium-term target of 10%, while the return on capital employed reached 28.8%, exceeding the initial goal of 25%. The company's leverage improved significantly from 2.5x in FY '22 to 1.4x in FY '26. Revenue was reported at GBP 57.2 million, with a disciplined approach to portfolio repositioning. The CTP Manufacturing Solutions revenue grew by 4.5% on a constant currency basis, and the Specialty division showed a 14% growth driven by the aerospace sector. EBITDA increased to GBP 8.6 million, representing 15% of revenue compared to 11% a year ago. The company also managed to reduce its net debt to GBP 24.5 million, 3% lower than the previous year. Additionally, they highlighted a strong safety culture with an incident frequency ratio of 0.6. The company stressed the importance of cost and capital discipline and operational effectiveness as they move into their next phase of growth.

Carclo plc Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Carclo plc's financial performance is mixed. While operational efficiency and cash flow generation have improved, significant challenges remain with profitability and financial stability. The negative equity position and low net profit margin are concerning.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
Carclo plc's income statement shows a mixed performance. The gross profit margin has improved to 60.67% in the latest year, indicating strong cost management. However, the net profit margin remains low at 0.72%, reflecting challenges in converting revenue into profit. Revenue has declined by 4.33% compared to the previous year, highlighting potential market or operational challenges. The EBIT and EBITDA margins have improved, suggesting better operational efficiency, but the overall profitability remains weak.
Balance Sheet
30
Negative
The balance sheet reveals significant financial instability. The company has a negative stockholders' equity, resulting in a negative debt-to-equity ratio, which is concerning. The return on equity is also negative, indicating that the company is not generating sufficient returns on its equity base. The equity ratio is negative, suggesting that liabilities exceed assets, posing a risk to financial stability.
Cash Flow
60
Neutral
Carclo plc's cash flow statement shows positive trends. The free cash flow has grown significantly by 148.91%, indicating improved cash generation capabilities. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is 0.24, suggesting that cash flow from operations is covering net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio is high at 0.90, reflecting strong cash flow relative to net income. However, the overall cash flow position needs to be monitored given the company's financial challenges.
BreakdownTTMMar 2025Mar 2024Mar 2023Mar 2022Mar 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue117.50M121.22M132.67M143.44M128.58M107.56M
Gross Profit66.68M73.54M72.10M25.86M27.87M25.09M
EBITDA13.00M14.69M10.15M8.81M15.28M14.51M
Net Income1.85M872.00K-3.30M-3.96M5.80M7.41M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets93.94M97.03M100.94M122.67M128.20M116.02M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments7.77M10.74M5.97M10.35M12.35M15.48M
Total Debt32.23M29.95M39.91M44.71M44.75M43.08M
Total Liabilities103.43M108.88M97.28M111.07M103.78M108.11M
Stockholders Equity-9.46M-11.81M3.69M11.63M24.44M7.94M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow7.04M10.38M7.43M1.57M-1.89M1.12M
Operating Cash Flow8.54M11.48M10.37M3.99M3.05M8.44M
Investing Cash Flow-1.54M-447.00K-2.40M-1.03M-4.23M-6.05M
Financing Cash Flow-7.20M-7.00M-12.14M-4.67M-2.49M5.05M

Carclo plc Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price58.40
Price Trends
50DMA
54.90
Negative
100DMA
58.85
Negative
200DMA
55.18
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-1.30
Positive
RSI
35.10
Neutral
STOCH
7.75
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GB:CAR, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 58.4 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 54.23, above the 50-day MA of 54.90, and above the 200-day MA of 55.18, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -1.30 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 35.10 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 7.75 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for GB:CAR.

Carclo plc Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
65
Neutral
£10.35M1,307.9612.05%32.78%-8.69%
62
Neutral
£17.66M4.3630.82%-18.51%-13.40%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
49
Neutral
£35.97M29.31-7.27%
47
Neutral
£1.43M-0.62-131.18%34.87%77.15%
46
Neutral
£4.64M-2.08-11.38%-15.55%-25.85%
40
Underperform
£3.83M-0.86-139.52%-11.86%-16.21%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
GB:CAR
Carclo plc
49.00
25.80
111.21%
GB:AUTG
Autins Group plc
8.50
1.50
21.43%
GB:SCE
Surface Transforms
0.11
-0.21
-65.63%
GB:TRT
Transense Technologies PLC
68.00
-54.50
-44.49%
GB:CTA
CT Automotive Group Plc
24.00
-3.50
-12.73%
GB:STG
Strip Tinning Holdings plc
21.00
0.00
0.00%

Carclo plc Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Carclo Discloses Transfer of Vested LTIP Shares to Divisional CEO
Neutral
Dec 24, 2025

Carclo plc has disclosed a transfer of vested shares under its 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan to divisional chief executive Alan Hook, a person discharging managerial responsibilities, following the vesting of awards on 3 August 2025. The Carclo Employee Share Ownership Trust transferred 5,770 shares to Hook after selling a portion of his 13,223 vested shares to cover PAYE and National Insurance liabilities, underscoring the company’s ongoing use of equity-based incentives to align senior management interests with shareholders and comply with UK Market Abuse Regulation disclosure requirements.

The most recent analyst rating on (GB:CAR) stock is a Hold with a £55.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Carclo plc stock, see the GB:CAR Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Dec 07, 2025