Ainsworth Receives $2.7m US Tariff Refund

Ainsworth Game Technology has revised its financial guidance after receiving a US$2.7 million refund relating to tariffs previously paid under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

The repayment follows a ruling by the US Supreme Court in February, which determined that the IEEPA did not grant the authority to impose tariffs. As a result, businesses that had already paid the charges became eligible to reclaim them.

Ainsworth explained that the refund was not reflected in its trading update released in May because both the timing of the repayment and the "quantum of amounts recoverable" remained uncertain at the time.

Improved financial outlook

The company confirmed it received the US$2.7 million refund on 30 June, representing "substantially all" of the tariffs it had paid under the IEEPA.

Following the repayment, Ainsworth now expects to report first-half 2026 revenue of approximately $116 million. Underlying profit before tax is forecast to reach around $5 million, while EBITDA, excluding currency movements and one-off items, is expected to be approximately $17 million.

The company also anticipates generating positive operating cash flow of approximately $8 million during the period. As a result, net debt is projected to fall to around $8 million, down from $11.8 million at 31 December 2025.

According to Ainsworth, the improvement in its balance sheet reflects both the IEEPA tariff refund and stronger-than-expected cash collections during the first half of the year.