A 10.5% rise in like-for-like turnover per trading day was recorded by Travis Perkins’ (TP) merchanting division in the two months to November 30, the group said today in an interim statement.
TP also said the severe weather at the start of December would have some impact on sales trends and financial performance for the month.
The merchanting division’s like-for-like turnover in the 11 months to November 30 was up 7.8%.
“Gross margins for the second half of the year to date are in line with the trend of the first six months, slightly below last year,” it said.
The Wickes retailing business saw a 2.7% increase in its total turnover for the 47-week period to November 27, with like-for-like turnover per trading day up 0.6%. Core products were down by 2.1% but kitchen and bathroom sales rose 12.5%.
“For the last eight weeks the total like-for-like turnover per trading day was up 4.2%, with some evidence of buying ahead of the VAT increase,” it added.
Gross margins for Wickes in the second half of the year to date are ahead of last year, continuing the trend of the first six months.
TP group turnover for the 11 months was up 6.5% on a year ago. “We continue to gain like-for-like market share in both our merchanting and retail division,” TP said.
“Whilst the most recent two months’ trading has seen a continuation of both satisfactory market growth and market share gains, the exceptionally poor weather at the beginning of December is expected to have some impact on our sales trends and financial performance for the last month of the year.”
TP’s acquisition of the BSS Group was expected to be completed today.
