Average daily like-for-like turnover at the division, which includes the Buildbase chain, rose by 1.7%, including growth of 3.7% in the November/December period.
The UK business performance was in stark contrast to the Irish merchanting division, which recorded a 9.2% decline, moderating to half this in November/December.
Grafton expects to generate €70m full-year operating profits (2011: €56.9m). Total group sales were about €2.17bn, a rise of 5.8% on 2011.
“The immediate outlook for demand in the group’s markets remains challenging and the timing and extent of any recovery is unclear,” it said. Grafton’s preliminary results will be released on March 7.
