XP Power welcomes appeals court reversing verdict in Comet case. Wed, 15th Jul 2026 10:10 (Alliance News) - XP Power Ltd on Wednesday said a US appeals court reversed a verdict of a trade secret case with Comet Holding AG, sending the matter for retrial. The US Court of Appeals reversed a 2022 District Court ruling, meaning USD40 million in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as over USD17 million in attorney fees XP Power had been due to pay has been vacated. XP Power noted and welcomed the Tuesday decision. "The cash for these awards is currently held outside the group in a bond lodged with the District Court," the Singapore-based maker of power control systems said. "The group will continue to defend its position." Comet had filed a lawsuit in the US against XP Power, alleging trade secret misappropriation relating to radio frequency match and generator technology. XP Power shares rose 1.2% to 1,860.00 pence each in London on Wednesday morning. By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor

XP Power launches advanced mass spectrometry power supplies. XP Power has announced the release of its application-specific Mass Spectrometry power supplies, the MS Source and MS Detector power platforms. The launch of these power supplies responds directly to the increasing need for high resolution, high throughput molecular analysis driven by the expansion of clinical diagnostics, such as newborn screening and oncology, rapid growth in biotech R&D, including drug discovery and genomics for precision medicine, as well as rising regulatory requirements. As mass spectrometry instruments have evolved, users are increasingly demanding highly repeatable results over extended 16-hour back-to-back work shifts, and higher throughputs. In addition, run-to-run and instrument-to-instrument consistency is now expected across different labs, operators, and deployments not just within a single optimised system. Both the MS Source and MS Detector series share a robust set of core features designed to simplify integration and guarantee reliable performance. Operating from a standard +24VDC input, both compact, chassis-mount modules offer reversible high voltage outputs. They offer a standard polarity switching time of 25ms, with an optional ultra-fast 5ms version available. The modules also guarantee a low ripple of 0.01%, stability of 100ppm/hr, and a temperature coefficient of 100ppm/°C, ensuring consistent performance over extended shift patterns. Specifically optimised for ionisation stages like electrospray ionisation (ESI), the MS Source series delivers a reversible output up to +/-6kV. On the detector side, components like photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), electron multipliers, or microchannel plates (MCPs), are sensitive to electrical noise, which can compromise analytical results. The MS Detector series delivers a fast-reversible main output up to +/-12kV for biasing dynode chains with a secondary adjustable output up to -5kV for powering the multipliers. The unified grounding scheme of the module eliminates low-frequency electrical noise, and reduces system size, wiring complexity, and overall cost. To aid system diagnostics, the MS Source includes analogue voltage and current monitor outputs, while the MS Detector includes specific pins for Dynode voltage readback and multiplier voltage readback. Designed for safe operation, both feature comprehensive short circuit, arc, and overload protections, and are designed to meet UL61010 safety approvals. The Mass Spectrometry Platform is available direct from XP Power with a 3-year warranty.

XP Power reported full-year revenue of £230.1 million, down 4% in constant currency, though the decline narrowed from 11% at mid-year to modest growth in the second half as customer destocking eased. Adjusted operating profit reached £17.3 million, heavily weighted to the second half at £12.5 million versus £4.8 million in the first half. Adjusted gross margin expanded 170 basis points year-on-year to 42.7%, whilst operating expenses rose 6% to £80.9 million due to foreign exchange and inflation. Order intake jumped 28% in constant currency to £225.9 million, with particularly strong growth in industrial technology and healthcare sectors. The company completed construction of its Malaysia manufacturing facility and expects production to begin in the second half of 2026. Management anticipates profit growth in 2026, though weighted to the second half due to export licence expiries affecting China semiconductor sales.