AGM Statement

James Halstead PLC
07 December 2007


                                                                 7 December 2007


                               JAMES HALSTEAD PLC


               CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

James Halstead plc, the commercial flooring company, will hold its AGM today at
12.00 noon at which the Chairman, Mr. Geoffrey Halstead, will make the following
statement :

'As is usual at the AGM I would like to give shareholders an update on current
trading, which I would caveat by saying that this does not constitute a
forecast. Prior to commenting I will just note that the final dividend for the
year to 30 June 2007 is paid today and at 11.25p is a 40.6% increase on last
year.

We are currently five months into the financial year and our businesses are
robust. Most of our companies, and certainly all our major ones, are reporting
sales growth at, or near, double digit percentage. This is more than we budgeted
and very encouraging. Offsetting this, to some extent, are continued raw
material price increases. Margins as a percentage of sales are consequently
under pressure but importantly the gross margin as an absolute figure is well on
track to ensure our targets for the current year are met.

Our expectation of solid profit growth and dividend progression in the current
year are bolstered as a result and it is clear that this first half of the
current year will not disappoint market expectations.

In addition, we continue to invest in the business for the future with warehouse
and distribution expansion in both the UK and Central Europe well underway. We
remain vigilant and prepared to react to the conditions that prevail in our
sector and to the wider economic conditions but are pleased with the situation
so far this current year and, as things stand, I am confident that we will have
good news to report in our interims in March 2008.'

Enquiries:
James Halstead plc
Gordon Oliver, Finance Director  Tel: [phone]

Hudson Sandler
Nick Lyon                        Tel: [phone]




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