Earnings per share at the UK‘s leading supplier of building materials Travis Perkins rose 14.3 per cent in 2013.
Sales in its consumer division rose 2.4 per cent while like-for-like sales nudged up 1 per cent. Profit after tax rose £16m to £265m.
After a challenging 2012 for the group, which owns Wickes, recent growth has been helped by the increase in construction activity on the back of an economic recovery in 2013.
“The group is well placed to benefit from the upturn in UK building activity and in particular the strength of housing transactions,” said Chief Executive John Carter, who succeeded Geoff Cooper on 1 January.
Greg Bromley, Retail Consultant at Conlumino, commented: “The last couple of years have seen the business make some very positive strides in new product areas – such as kitchens and bathrooms– where capacity falling out of the market has created opportunities.”
