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Oxford Instruments plc (OXIG.L)

Technology Balanced

Ever wondered how scientists see things that are practically invisible? Oxford Instruments builds the ultra-precise high-tech gear that makes it possible.

£27.32
≈ 2,732p · London-listed shares are usually quoted in pence (GBX) elsewhere; the Almanac shows pounds (£1 = 100p).

Is Oxford Instruments plc a good stock for a UK beginner?

The honest version: Ever wondered how scientists see things that are practically invisible? Oxford Instruments builds the ultra-precise high-tech gear that makes it possible.

No rating · no target price · nothing for sale here
Price+8.8%
52-week range+51% past year
£27.32
Low £16.82High £33.18
Where today's price sits versus its past year - context, not a signal.
If you had put £1,000 into Oxford Instruments plc
£1,088+9%

Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.

Market cap: The company's total value on the stock market - share price times the number of shares. Big = 'large-cap', small = 'small-cap'.
£1.50B
Avg volume: How many shares change hands on a typical day. Higher means it's easy to buy or exit without moving the price.
275.66K
Day range: The lowest and highest price the shares traded at during the latest day.
£27.32 – £28.52
52-week range: The lowest and highest the shares have traded over the past year - a sense of how wide the swings have been.
£16.82 – £33.18
P/E ratio: Price-to-earnings: the share price divided by yearly profit per share. Lower can mean cheaper; higher often means investors expect fast growth.
35.5
Dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone.
0.9%
Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down.
1.11
How bumpy is it?Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down. 1.11
Calm
Wild
Roughly in step with the market

Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.

Why has it been moving?▲ +4% past week · ▲ +51% past year

Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.

The bull case

Breakthroughs in quantum computing creating massive new demand for cryogenic gear.

The bear case

Stagnant research funding and increased competition in niche scientific tech.

What does Oxford Instruments plc do?

This British firm creates advanced tools and tech used by scientists and engineers all over the globe, from microscopic imaging equipment to magnetic resonance systems. They make their money by selling these high-end, bespoke instruments to universities, medical facilities, and industrial research labs. The key thing to keep an eye on is whether their research clients keep spending big budgets on shiny new laboratory kit.

VQGMI
Factor profile

On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and growth, and weakest on value.

Value: How cheap the stock looks versus profits, sales and assets (higher = cheaper). 15Quality: How profitable and financially healthy the company is (higher = stronger). 66Growth: How fast revenue and earnings are growing (higher = faster). 58Momentum: How the share price has been trending recently (higher = stronger recent run). 54Income: The dividend income on offer and how sustainable it looks (higher = more/steadier). 51
Quick checks
What's strong
  • High gross margin showing strong pricing power for specialized gear
  • Deep roots in cutting-edge global scientific research
  • Solid reputation for engineering excellence
What to watch
  • Value screens low (15/100)
  • Cuts to public sector and university research budgets
  • Vulnerability to global economic slowdowns affecting industrial clients
  • High expectations already baked into the share price

What do Oxford Instruments plc's numbers mean?

P/E
35.5
This shows how much investors are currently paying for every pound of the company's past yearly profit, which sits on the higher side.
Forward P/E
21.8
This looks ahead at expected future profits, dropping down from the past ratio as earnings are anticipated to improve.
Gross margin
55.8%
Out of every pound earned in sales, over 55 pence remains after covering the direct cost of making their specialised kit.
Dividend yield
0.9%
The cash payout returned to shareholders each year is relatively small, as the company prefers to reinvest earnings back into growth.

Does Oxford Instruments plc pay a dividend?

Yes - Oxford Instruments plc currently pays a dividend of about 0.9% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.

When does Oxford Instruments plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?

Oxford Instruments plc is next scheduled to report on about 2026-11-10 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.

Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.

See who else reports over the next two weeks →

Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.

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What are the scenarios for Oxford Instruments plc?

An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.

£34£27£17today · £27▲ Bull · £31• Base · £29▼ Bear · £23in 1 yearILLUSTRATIVE · NOT A PREDICTION OR PRICE TARGET
Bull
+10% to +20%Stronger than expected research spending from global tech laboratories.
Base
0% to +10%Steady order books matching previous expectations without major surprises.
Bear
-10% to -20%Universities and public labs tightening their belts due to budget cuts.

What are the pros and cons of Oxford Instruments plc?

3bull points
6bear points

How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.

The bull case3
  • High gross margin: The share of each £1 of sales left after the direct cost of making the product, before other running costs. Higher usually means more pricing power. showing strong pricing power for specialized gear
  • Deep roots in cutting-edge global scientific research
  • Solid reputation for engineering excellence
The catch3
  • Revenue growth: How fast the company's sales grew versus a year ago. has been relatively flat recently
  • Low dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. for income-focused investors
  • Relatively high valuation multiples based on past earnings
Key risks3
  • Cuts to public sector and university research budgets
  • Vulnerability to global economic slowdowns affecting industrial clients
  • High expectations already baked into the share price
What would flip the thesis

The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.

Confidence: medium · data: GBP · flags: none · Charts by TradingView Lightweight Charts™
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Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →

This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.

Figures as of 2026-08-02. Prices may be delayed and numbers can go stale - always double-check before acting.