Comptoir Group (LSE:COM), the Lebanese restaurant operator behind the Comptoir Libanais brand, reported full-year results in April 2026 showing a narrower loss and higher underlying Earnings on slightly lower revenue. For investors scanning the hospitality corner of the FTSE AIM All Share Index, the numbers describe a Business consolidating after a difficult period for UK restaurants.

What the company does

Comptoir Group (LSE:COM) operates casual dining restaurants serving Lebanese food, most prominently under the Comptoir Libanais name, and also has Franchise arrangements. At the end of the 2025 financial year it operated 20 sites directly, with a further six franchise sites. The business is small, and its performance is sensitive to footfall in city centres and shopping destinations, as well as to costs for food, energy and labour.

Full-year results

The results, announced on 21 April 2026 for the 52 weeks ended 28 December 2025, showed Revenue of £33.0m, down from £34.6m the year before, while like-for-like sales edged up 0.2%. Adjusted EBITDA improved to £1.1m from £0.8m. The loss after tax under international accounting standards narrowed to £1.4m from £1.9m. Adjusted net cash at the year end was £1.9m, down from £3.0m, which the company linked to restructuring costs and the settlement of historic liabilities.

Debt and the balance sheet

The year-end position of adjusted net cash suggests the Balance Sheet is relatively conservative for a hospitality business, though the fall in cash over the year shows that restructuring has had a cost.

Operating context

Like-for-like growth of 0.2% is modest, but in a market where many operators have reported falling volumes and rising costs, holding sales broadly flat while improving underlying earnings is a sign of cost control. The fall in total revenue alongside a flat like-for-like figure suggests that factors other than sales at established sites, such as changes to the estate, played a part, although LSE:COM's own commentary should be consulted for the reasons.

Sector and index context

Restaurant groups on AIM have faced higher wage bills, business rates changes and cautious consumer spending in recent years. The sector is crowded, and smaller operators have limited purchasing power compared with large chains. Comptoir is one of a handful of AIM-quoted restaurant companies, and its shares trade with limited liquidity, which can exaggerate price movements. LSE:COM's focus on a distinctive cuisine gives it some differentiation.

Key risks

The main risks are cost inflation, particularly labour, the performance of a small estate in which one or two weak sites can matter, Lease commitments, and consumer confidence. The statutory loss means the company still has to prove that improved underlying earnings can convert into a profit after Depreciation and interest. Reduced cash after restructuring gives less headroom than a year earlier, and any further one-off costs would test that cushion.

What to watch next

Investors will look for the interim results for the first half of 2026, normally published in the autumn, and for any trading statement on like-for-like sales. Other areas of interest include the pace of franchise expansion, the plans for the estate, Margin progress against cost pressures and the resumption of any Shareholder returns. The notice of the Annual General Meeting accompanied the results, so voting outcomes may also be of interest.