Final Results - Replacement

Ashtead Group PLC
10 July 2000

The issuer has made the following amendment to the Final Results announcement
released today at 7.00am under RNS No 5777N.

Owing to a typographic error, Ashtead Group Plc announce that in Note 1 to the
consolidated  cashflow  statement  at  the  end  of  this  morning's   results
announcement  the increase in trade debtors for the year ended 30  April  2000
should read £9.0m and not £0.9m as previously stated.   

All other details remain unchanged.

The full corrected version is shown below.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             
             Preliminary results for the year ended 30 April 2000

                             Prospects transformed


*    EBITDA up 11% to £127m (£114m)

*    Turnover up 18% to £302m (£256m)

*    Pre-tax profit (before goodwill amortisation) up 13% to £48.5m (£42.8m)

*    Earnings per share (before goodwill amortisation) up 10% to 13.5p (12.3p)

*    Total dividend increased by 17% to 3.16p with cover consistent at 4.2x
     (4.4x)

*    Net cash flow up 23% to £114.4m (£93.3m)

*    Integration of BET USA bought from Rentokil for £320m in June going well.
     Good response from both workforce and expanded customer base

*    UK market remains competitive but our scale and heavy investment in
     equipment and IT are giving Ashtead an advantage

*    Ashtead transformed into the largest business of its kind in the UK, the
     fourth largest in the United States and the fourth largest in the world

*    Excellent start to current year with revenues in May/June - before the
     contribution from BET USA - up 26% on last year


Ashtead's Chairman, Peter Lewis, commented:

'The  acquisition of BET USA has substantially re-shaped the  balance  of  our
business,  created  a  powerful player in both the  UK  and  US  markets,  and
transformed  our  opportunity to deliver substantial organic growth  over  the
long  term.  Our business model has consistently proved its effectiveness  and
we  now  have  the  necessary scale to build our share of the rapidly  growing
$22bn  US  market.   In the competitive UK market we have  delivered  a  sound
performance  and maintained our leading position.  Profits have increased  for
the eighth year in succession, cash flow is strong at £114 million and, in the
light  of  the Board's confidence in the future prospects of the company,  the
dividend for the year has been increased by 17%.'


Enquiries:

Peter Lewis, Executive Chairman
George Burnett, Chief Executive
Ashtead Group plc                  Tel: [phone] (10 July)
http://www.Ashtead-Group.com       Tel: [phone] (thereafter)

Tim Spratt / Tania Wild
Financial Dynamics                 Tel: [phone]
                                       
                                       
                             THE YEAR AT A GLANCE

             Preliminary Results for the year ended 30 April 2000
                                       
                                       
                           Year to April   Year to April                %
                                    2000            1999         Increase
                                                                         
By number £m                                                             
Turnover                           302.4           256.0               18
EBITDA                             127.3           114.4               11
Depreciation                        67.9            63.9                6
Operating profit*                   59.4            50.5               18
Pre-tax profit*                     48.5            42.8               13
Capital expenditure                161.2           150.5                7
Investment in hire                                                       
 equipment                         144.7           136.1                6
Net cash flow                      114.4            93.3               23
Net gearing debt                   191.3           126.1               52
                                                                         
By shares p                                                              
Earnings per share*                 13.5            12.3               10
Dividends per share                 3.16             2.7               17
                                                                         
                                                                         
By margin %                                                              
EBITDA                              42.1            44.7                 
Operating profit*                   19.6            19.7                 
Pre-tax profit*                     16.0            16.7                 
Gearing                             77.6            58.9                 
                                                                         
By people                                                                
Employees at year end              3,930           3,735                5
                                                                         
By location                                                              
Profit Centres at year                                                   
 end                                 352             341                3
                                                                         
*Before goodwill                                                         
amortisation


                            FIVE YEARS AT A GLANCE


                 Year to   Year to   Year to   Year to   Year to    Compound
                30 April  30 April  30 April  30 April  30 April      annual
£m                  2000      1999      1998      1997      1996  growth (%)
                                                                            
Turnover           302.4     256.0     202.5     147.6      95.6          33

EBITDA             127.3     114.4      89.2      63.3      39.2          34

Operating                                                                   
 profit*            59.4      50.5      40.5      30.1      18.0          35

Profit before                                                               
 tax*               48.5      42.8      35.5      28.3      16.8          30

Dividends per                                                               
 share (p)          3.16       2.7       2.3     1.825      1.52          20

Earnings per                                                                
 share* (p)         13.5      12.3      10.0       8.0       6.5          20

Net cash                                                                    
 inflow            114.4      93.3      77.4      57.4      31.6          38

Shareholders'                                                               
 funds             246.4     214.2     153.8     120.8     107.7          23

*Before goodwill                                                            
amortisation
                                       
                      Extracts from Chairman's Statement
                    for the 12 months ended 30 April  2000


Last year was highly significant as we repositioned your Group in terms of its
scale and potential for future growth.  This was not a straightforward process
and  below I reprise the outcome of our strategic review, which culminated  in
the largest acquisition ever made by a UK equipment rental company.

On  turnover  up 18% to £302m (£256m), EBITDA (earnings before interest,  tax,
depreciation and amortisation), the most important measure of performance  for
a  rental  company, rose 11% to £127m (£114m).  Before goodwill  amortisation,
operating profit grew 18% to £59.4m (£50.5m), pre-tax profits by 13% to £48.5m
(£42.8m)  and  earnings  per  share  were  up  10%  at  13.5p  (12.3p)   after
incorporating  the application of FRS15 to the depreciation  charge  which  we
initiated  with the interim results.  The Directors are recommending  a  final
dividend of 2.6p making a total for the year of 3.16p, an increase of 17%  and
reflecting confidence in the future progress of the enlarged Group.

Your  Group  has been established in America for more than 10  years.   During
that time, our first class management team has built an enviable business  the
hard  way, almost entirely by greenfield openings - what we call cold  starts.
Despite  a  three-year  record of opening a new Profit Centre  in  America  on
average every 2.5 weeks, your Board had been concerned about the dangers of
the
Group  being  marginalised  in  a fast changing  US  market.   We  were  being
challenged  by the dichotomy of the faster our organic growth, the further  we
were falling behind the market leaders fuelled as they were by acquisitions at
prices we could not justify to our shareholders.

As  a  result of this analysis, in August 1999 we announced a strategic review
to examine all options to deliver long term value to shareholders. During this
review, the share prices of our US competitors, the consolidators, fell as the
market  re-assessed  its  confidence in the value  of  their  strategies.   We
received  one  highly conditional approach, which was thoroughly  explored  by
your  Board  and  its  advisors.   However, it failed  to  deliver  sufficient
substance, value or certainty to enable us to put it before our shareholders.

At  that  time, although unable to disclose it then, we were well advanced  in
our  negotiations  with Rentokil to acquire BET USA. These  culminated  on  20
April  in  an  agreement to purchase debt free assets of £250m  and  operating
profit  of  £32m for £320m, a price which compares very favourably with  other
transactions  in  the  industry.  Rentokil's  decision  to  fund  42%  of  the
consideration by way of a bond which converts at 150p per Ashtead share was  a
welcome statement of belief in your Group's management.

It  was  your  Board's  view that with the intense phase of  US  consolidation
coming  to a close, a more normal trading environment would ensue.  We believe
the  US  market has enormous potential for growth.  Currently valued at $22bn,
it  is  growing  at 15% per annum with rental penetration  of  only  20%.   We
believe  we  have  consistently demonstrated that we have a  better  operating
model  than  any  of  our competitors, and that applying our  practices  to  a
substantially increased US operation will enable us to grow market  share  and
bring greatest value to shareholders in the near future.

The acquisition of BET USA is arguably the most important single event in your
Group's  16-year history.  On a pro forma basis, it creates an  Anglo-American
equipment  rental  group  with revenues exceeding  £500m  making  Ashtead  the
largest  business  of  its kind in the UK, the fourth largest  in  the  United
States and also the fourth largest in the world.

We  have  already  begun to implement detailed plans to achieve  synergies  in
marketing,  procurement and IT and we are already introducing  our  successful
Profit Centre culture into the BET operations.  We anticipate that in the year
to  30  April  2001,  reorganisation costs will be  in  the  region  of  £10m,
resulting in pre-tax synergies of £4m per annum from April 2001.


               Principal events of the year - operational review

USA - Sunbelt Rentals

                                         2000         1999               %
                                           £m           £m        Increase
                                                                          
Turnover                                113.1         79.2              43
EBITDA                                   46.6         35.4              32
EBITDA margin %                          41.2         44.6                
Depreciation                             24.1         20.7              16
Operating profit*                        22.5         14.7              53
Operating profit margin %*               19.9         18.6                
Investment in hire equipment             75.7         58.1              30
Employees at year end                   1,220          883              38
Profit Centres at year end                 88           66              33
*Before goodwill amortisation                                             

Once again Sunbelt achieved impressive organic growth with turnover up 43%  to
£113m  (£79m) with the crucial EBITDA rising 32% to £46.6m (£35.4m).   In  the
process,  22 new Profit Centres were added and the year end number of  88  has
been supplemented by a further three in May.

With the completion of the BET USA purchase of 60 additional Profit Centres on
2  June  2000, Sunbelt was transformed from an Eastern Seaboard major regional
company to a national rental business operating in 26 key states, representing
approximately 75% of the total population.
While  the acquisition of BET USA provides fertile ground for cost reductions,
just as importantly we expect revenue enhancement from the combined businesses
given  their  wider  appeal to larger multi-state  customers.   We  expect  to
improve  utilisation rates significantly in the well-invested BET  USA  rental
fleet.   BET  USA is a platform acquisition which will allow us  to  build  in
major  cities across America the same multi-branch clusters or networks within
large  urban  centres that has characterised our success in  our  previous  11
state region in cities such as Washington DC, Charlotte NC and Orlando FL.

UK - A-Plant

                                      2000           1999                %
                                        £m             £m         Increase
                                                                          
Turnover                             181.5          167.5                8
EBITDA                                75.9           72.5                5
EBITDA margin %                       41.8           43.3                 
Depreciation                          41.5           40.4                3
Operating profit*                     34.4           32.1                7
Operating profit margin %*            19.0           19.2                 
Investment in hire equipment          66.4           74.5             (11)
Employees at year end                2,672          2,813              (5)
Profit Centres at year end             261            272              (4)
*Before goodwill amortisation                                             

As  we  have  indicated previously, the UK market has not been  easy.   Rental
rates  have  been under pressure in a changing market place.  Like many  other
businesses,  your  UK  management has been dealing with  the  consequences  of
effective  zero  minus  inflation.  Also in this  year,  as  evidenced  by  an
increase  in receiverships amongst UK businesses following the earlier  threat
of  a  UK  recession, we experienced an increase in bad debts.   However,  the
changing market place brings opportunities.  Increasingly, major customers now
require  their rental suppliers to offer comprehensive service and IT packages
in  support of the equipment.  In these conditions, the resources and size  we
can bring to bear have undoubtedly benefited your Group.

In the summer of 1998, in anticipation of these market changes, we appointed a
Group-wide Director of IT Applications whose principal role is to identify and
respond to changing customer needs.  Subsequently, we have invested heavily in
adapting  our  external IT to support the growing requirement for  tailor-made
customer packages.  Our appointment as long term sole suppliers to Birse Group
in  May  and now Kvaerner Construction UK Building this month are examples  of
the  success of this customer care programme.  The development of our IT  will
enable  A-Plant  to  offer direct e-commerce facilities to its  key  customers
before the end of the financial year.

Following  the addition of 124 new Profit Centres in the previous  two  years,
this  has  been a year of consolidation in the UK.  With the strategic  review
process  behind  us,  a reduction in bad debts, together with  our  successful
adaptation  to  new  market place conditions, our  prospects  in  the  UK  are
improving.   In  the  circumstances, including  the  impact  of  the  extended
millennium  holiday period, the operating profit before goodwill  amortisation
for the year of £34.4m (£32.1m) was creditable.


Offshore - Ashtead Technology

                                      2000             1999            %
                                        £m               £m     Increase
                                                                        
Turnover                               7.8              9.3         (16)
EBITDA                                 4.8              6.5         (26)
EBITDA margin %                       61.5             70.3             
Depreciation                           2.3              2.8         (18)
Operating profit*                      2.5              3.7         (32)
Operating profit margin %*            32.1             40.1             
Investment in hire equipment           2.6              3.5         (26)
Employees at year end                   36               36            -
Profit Centres at year end               3                3            -
*Before goodwill amortisation                                           

There  is no disguising the fact that the support market for the offshore  oil
and  gas  industry has been very difficult for all participants over the  past
year.  The reduction in exploration, production and maintenance activities has
had its inevitable impact.  Over time, the effect of this market slowdown will
be  beneficial  to  Ashtead  Technology as it will  present  opportunities  to
consolidate  our established world leadership.  In the meantime, an  operating
profit of £2.5m (£3.7m) is a worthy achievement in the worst market conditions
since the early nineties.

Financial

Net  cash  inflow from operating activities improved 23% to £114.4m  (£93.3m).
Despite  the  modernity  of our fleet - the youngest  in  our  industry  -  we
continued   our  long  established  policy  of  full,  unrestricted  equipment
maintenance.   Your  Group also continued its policy of not  capitalising  any
repairs  with  the  charge to expenses for spares and parts rising  to  £17.7m
(£15.4m).   The investment in new equipment was largely unchanged  at  £144.7m
(£136.1m)  but there was a new record depreciation charge of £67.9m  (£63.9m).
The sale of retired assets produced a gain of £6.0m (£3.9m).

As  explained fully in our interim results announcement, the Group has adopted
Financial  Reporting Standard number 15 ('FRS15') dealing  with  fixed  assets
this  year.  Consequently, new estimated residual values for fixed assets have
been  applied  prospectively in the calculation of  this  year's  depreciation
charge  as required by FRS15.  Had the revised estimated residual values  been
in  use  throughout the year ended 30 April 1999, the depreciation charge  for
that year would have been £55.9m, £8.0m lower than reported.

Gearing at the year end was 78% (59%), reflecting expenditure on expansion  of
the business particularly in the United States.

Board and Management

In  February, your Directors were pleased to welcome to the Board Ted Forshaw,
49  and  Bruce  Dressel,  36,  respectively Chief Executives  of  A-Plant  and
Sunbelt.  Both have made significant contributions to the growth of your Group
over the last few years.

Ian  Robson, BSc, FCA, 41, joined the Group in May and the Board  in  June  as
Finance  Director.  For the last four years, Ian has held a series  of  senior
financial  positions with Reuters and before that he was an Audit Partner  for
PricewaterhouseCoopers.  He succeeds Alan Anderson, who has retired to  pursue
private  interests  unrelated  to your Group's  activities,  after  a  14-year
tenure.   Your  Directors  would like to record their appreciation  of  Alan's
immense  contribution to your Group's success over many years and to wish  him
every success in his chosen, more tranquil, lifestyle.

As we indicated in our interim statement, I will become Non-Executive Chairman
of the Group in December when I am 60.

As ever, your team has performed magnificently at all levels in what has been,
in  many  respects,  a trying year.  People, in our judgement,  are  the  only
meaningful  difference  between one service company and  any  other.   Ashtead
people are our difference.

Current and Future Opportunities

Ashtead  is  now  a  powerful force in both the UK  and  US  equipment  rental
markets.  We are determined to seize the opportunities that we see before  us,
leveraging  our  scale,  skills  and  market  position  for  the  benefit   of
shareholders.  We enjoyed a strong finish to our year with billings per day in
April  at  record  levels.  This trend has continued into May  and  June  with
revenues  -  before the contribution from BET USA - up 26%.  We expect  to  be
able  to report further sound progress for the year as a whole as we start  to
realise the benefits of our considerably enhanced growth prospects.

Peter Lewis
Chairman
10 July 2000


ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
Consolidated Income Statement
For the year ended 30 April 2000

                                                  Unaudited      Audited
                                                       2000         1999
                                                         £m           £m
                                                             
Turnover                                              302.4        256.0
Cost of sales                                       (221.6)      (190.0)
                                                                        
Gross profit                                           80.8         66.0
Administrative expenses                              (21.4)       (15.5)
                                                                        
Operating profit before goodwill                                        
 amortisation                                          59.4         50.5
Goodwill amortisation                                 (0.4)            -
                                                                        
Operating profit                                       59.0         50.5
Interest receivable                                     1.1          1.6
Interest payable and similar charges                 (12.0)        (9.3)
                                                                        
Profit on ordinary activities before                                    
 taxation                                              48.1         42.8
                                                                        
Taxation on profit on ordinary                                          
 activities                                           (4.9)        (5.2)
                                                                        
Profit attributable to the Shareholders                                 
 of Ashtead Group plc                                  43.2         37.6
Dividends                                            (10.2)        (8.6)
                                                                        
Retained profits transferred to reserves               33.0         29.0
                                                                        
Basic earnings per share                              13.4p        12.3p
                                                                        
Adjusted earnings per share (before                                     
 goodwill amortisation)                               13.5p        12.3p
                                                      13.2p        12.1p
Fully diluted earnings per share

All  acquisitions made this year were immediately integrated into the  Group's
ongoing  operations.   No segregated post-acquisition  results  are  therefore
available.


Consolidated statement of total recognised gains and losses
For the year ended 30 April 2000

                                           Unaudited         Audited
                                                2000            1999
                                                  £m              £m
                                                       
Profit attributable to shareholders             43.2            37.6
Foreign currency translation differences      (0.8))           (0.6)
                                                                    
Total recognised gains and losses for                               
 the year                                       42.4            38.2

There  is  no  material difference between the results shown above  and  those
which would have been shown on an unadjusted historical cost basis.


ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
Reconciliation of movements in shareholders' funds
For the year ended 30 April 2000

                                           Unaudited            Audited
                                                2000               1999
                                                  £m                 £m
                                                       
Profit for the period                           43.2            37.6
Dividends                                     (10.2)              (8.6)
                                                33.0               29.0
Share capital issued                               -               30.8
Foreign currency translation differences       (0.8)                0.6
Other reserve movements                            -                  -
                                                                       
Net addition to Shareholders' funds             32.2               60.4
Opening Shareholders' funds                    214.2              153.8
                                                                       
Closing Shareholders' funds                    246.4              214.2

ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
Consolidated balance sheet
At 30 April 2000
                                           Unaudited            Audited
                                                2000               1999
                                                  £m                 £m
                                                       
Fixed assets                                           
Intangible assets                                      
- goodwill                                       9.9                2.9
                                                                       
Tangible assets                                                        
- plant for hire                               459.0              382.4
- other fixed assets                            62.5               55.5
                                               531.4              440.8
Current assets                                                         
Stocks                                          10.0                7.0
Debtors                                         80.1               70.3
Liquid resources                                15.0               15.5
Cash at bank and in hand                         0.1               10.1
                                               105.2              102.9
Creditors - amounts falling due                                        
 within one year
Loans and overdrafts                          (97.0)             (36.4)
Trade and other creditors                    (170.7)            (170.6)
Hire purchase liabilities                          -              (2.3)
                                             (267.7)            (209.3)
                                                                       
Net current liabilities                      (162.5)            (106.4)
Total assets less current liabilities          368.9              334.4
                                                                       
Creditors - amounts falling due after                               
 more than one year
Loans                                        (109.4)            (113.0)
                                                                       
Deferred taxation                             (13.1)              (7.2)
                                                                       
Total net assets                               246.4              214.2
                                                                       
Capital and reserves                                                   
Called up share capital                         32.3               32.3
Share premium account                           99.7               99.7
Revaluation reserve                              0.5                0.5
Other reserves                                (17.3)             (17.3)
Profit and loss account                        131.2               99.0
                                                                       
Total capital and reserves (equity                                     
 interests)                                    246.4              214.2


ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
Consolidated cash flow statement
For the year ended 30 April 2000

                                                Unaudited              Audited
                                                     2000                 1999
                             Note          £m          £m        £m         £m
                                                                              
Net cash inflow from                                                          
 operating activities           1                   114.4                 93.3
                                                                              
Returns on investments                                                        
 and servicing of
 Finance
Interest received                         1.0                   1.6           
Interest paid                          (11.3)                 (8.8)           
Interest element of hire                                                      
 purchase payments                          -                 (0.1)
                                                   (10.3)                (7.3)
                                                                              
Taxation                                            (3.2)                (5.9)
                                                                              
Capital expenditure                                                           
Purchase of tangible                                                          
 fixed assets                         (166.3)               (140.2)
Sale of tangible fixed                                                        
 assets                                  25.0                  13.7
                                                  (141.3)              (126.5)
                                                                              
Acquisitions and                                                              
 disposals                                         (11.3)                (4.3)
                                                                              
Equity dividends paid                               (9.0)                (7.2)
                                                                              
Net cash outflow before                                                       
use of liquid resources                            (60.7)               (57.9)
                                                                              
Management of liquid                                                          
 resources
Decrease/(increase) in                                                        
 liquid resources                                     0.3               (15.5)
                                                                              
Financing                                                                     
Issue of ordinary share                                                       
 capital                                    -                  13.3
Increase in unsecured                                                         
 loans                                   29.3                  56.9
Redemption of loans                     (9.3)                 (0.4)           
Principal payment under                                                       
 hire purchase agreements               (2.3)                 (1.7)
                                                     17.7                 68.1
                                                                              
Decrease in cash                                   (42.7)                (5.3)

Reconciliation to net debt

                                                 Unaudited         Audited
                                                      2000            1999
                                                        £m              £m
                                                           
Decrease in cash in the period                      (42.7)          (5.3)
Decrease in debt and hire                                                
 purchase finance                                   (17.7)         (54.8)
Cash out flow from increase in                                            
 liquid resources                                    (0.3)            15.5
Change in net debt from cash flows                  (60.7)          (44.6)
Loans and hire purchase                                                   
 agreements acquired with acquisition                    -           (1.4)
Translation difference                               (4.5)           (2.7)
Movements in net debt in the period                 (65.2)          (48.7)
Net debt at 1 May                                  (126.1)          (77.4)
Net debt at 30 April                               (191.3)         (126.1)



ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
Note 1 to the Consolidated cash flow statement
For the year ended 30 April 2000

                                                 Unaudited       Audited
                                                      2000          1999
                                                        £m            £m
                                                           
Net cash flow from operating activities                    
                                                           
Operating profit                                      59.0          50.5
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets                 67.9          63.9
Amortisation of goodwill                               0.4             -
Gain on sale of tangible fixed assets                (6.0)         (3.9)
Increase in stocks                                   (2.6)         (3.1)
Increase in trade debtors                            (9.0)        (15.3)
Increase in trade creditors                            4.7           1.2
                                                     114.4          93.3


NOTES

1. The  abridged  1999 Profit and Loss Account, Balance Sheet  and  Cash  Flow
   Statement is taken from the statutory accounts for the year ended 30  April
   1999  which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies.  The auditor's
   report  on  these accounts was unqualified and did not contain a  statement
   under section 237 of the Companies Act 1985.

2. The  Directors  have  recommended a final dividend of 2.6p  net  per  share
   (making  a  total of 3.16p for the whole year) which, subject to  approval,
   will  be  paid  on  11 October 2000 to shareholders on the  register  on  8
   September 2000.

3.   Earnings per share for the year ended 30 April have been calculated based
   on  the profit attributable to the Shareholders of Ashtead Group plc and on
   322,987,960 Ordinary Shares, being the weighted average number or  Ordinary
   Shares in issue during the year (1999 - 306,270,950 Ordinary Shares).

   Adjusted  earnings  per  share  for the  year  ended  30  April  have  been
   calculated based on the profit attributable to the Shareholders of  Ashtead
   Group  plc adjusted to add back the goodwill amortisation charge  of  £0.4m
   (1999  -  £nil)  and  on 322,987,960 Ordinary Shares,  being  the  weighted
   average  number  or  Ordinary  Shares in issue  during  the  year  (1999  -
   306,270,950 Ordinary Shares).

   Fully  diluted  earnings per share for the year ended 30  April  2000  have
   been  calculated  based on the profit attributable to the  Shareholders  of
   Ashtead  Group plc and on 327,040,607 Ordinary Shares, being  the  weighted
   average  number  of  Ordinary  Shares in issue  during  the  year  (1999  -
   312,028,795 Ordinary Shares).
   

4. Segmental analysis
                      Turnover         Operating Profit        Net assets
                 Unaudited  Audited   Unaudited    Audited  Unaudited  Audited
                      2000     1999        2000       1999       2000     1999
                        £m       £m          £m         £m         £m       £m
                                                                      
    UK plant                                                                  
     hire            181.5    167.5        34.0       32.1      259.0    220.2
    Ashtead                                                                   
    Technology         7.8      9.3         2.5        3.7        8.1      7.7
    US plant                                                                  
     hire            113.1     79.2        22.5       14.7      170.6    112.4
    Central                                                                   
     items                                                                    
    (funding                                                                  
    related)             -        -           -          -    (191.3)  (126.1)
                     302.4    256.0        59.0       50.5      246.4    214.2

   Operating profit for UK plant hire is stated after charging £0.4m  (1998/99
   - £nil) in respect of goodwill amortisation.

5. The  unaudited  preliminary results information has been  prepared  on  the
   basis  of  accounting  policies set out in the  Group's  1998/99  statutory
   accounts,  as amended for the introduction of Financial Reporting  Standard
   number 15 dealing with tangible fixed assets.

6.    The  effective rate of tax in the year was 10% (1999 - 12%),  which  was
   largely  due to unequalised timing differences arising from the substantial
   capital investment over the past two years.

7. Changes  have  been made in the year ended 30 April 2000 to  the  estimated
   residual  values  of fixed assets.  The depreciation charge  for  the  year
   ended  30  April 1999 computed using the revised estimated residual  values
   is £55.9m, £8.0m lower than the charge reported for that year.