4th Quarter Trading Statement

Kingfisher PLC
18 February 2004


Q4 Trading Statement
Wednesday 18th February 2004

Kingfisher plc today announced its fourth quarter sales for the 13 weeks to 31st January 2004.

Fourth Quarter to 31st January 2004
                                         2003/4                  2002/3            Total Change              LFL Change
                                             £m                      £m                       %                       %
Continuing operations (1)
Retail sales                            1,647.4                 1,448.8                   13.7%                    4.5%


Twelve months to 31st January 2004

                                         2003/4                  2002/3                  Change              LFL Change
                                             £m                      £m                       %                       %
Continuing operations (1)
Retail sales                            7,038.2                 6,130.4                   14.8%                    5.1%

(1)       All figures relate to continuing home improvement business only, excluding Dubois Materiaux in France, Reno
          Depot in Canada, Nomi in Poland and Castorama in Belgium and Brazil, which have been sold, and Castorama
          Germany, which has been closed.  Also excluding Kingfisher's former Electricals businesses, including
          Promarkt, sold in February 2003 and Kesa Electricals plc, demerged in July 2003.

          All figures and statements comply with Group accounting policy changes made in the period to reflect FRS 5
          and UITF 38 requirements, with a consequent restatement of prior periods ( see page 5 for details). The non
          cash accounting changes mainly impact B&Q's reported results.

Kingfisher plc, Europe's leading home improvement retailer, has today announced that total sales grew 13.7% to £1.6
billion during the fourth quarter ended 31st January 2004. On a like for like (LFL) basis sales increased by 4.5%.

UK (59% of Group Sales)
  •        Sales up 9.5% (LFL+3.9%) driven by strong kitchen sales at B&Q and continued growth at Screwfix Direct

Non UK (41% of Group Sales)
  •        French sales up 9.1% in constant currency (LFL+4.2%) driven by Brico Depot momentum and Castorama
           revitalisation
  •        International sales up 38% in constant currency (LFL+10.2%) driven by new store openings in all markets and
           strong sales in Poland (LFL+19.5%)

For the full year, total Group sales increased by 14.8% to just over £7.0 billion, (LFL +5.1%).

Gerry Murphy, chief executive, said: 'This has been a good quarter for Kingfisher, capping a strong performance for the
full year. This performance, combined with our continued focus on margin and cashflow management, means we expect to
announce on 17 March full year pre-exceptional profits for the continuing business toward the upper end of current
market expectations.'

UK & Ireland

For the 13 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                                2003/4               2002/3        % total change    % like-for-like
B&Q (1)                                         891.5                818.7                   8.9                2.9
Screwfix Direct                                  56.6                 47.0                  20.4               20.4
Total UK                                        948.1                865.7                   9.5                3.9

For the 52 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                                2003/4                2002/3        % total change   % like-for-like
                                                                                                             change
B&Q (1)                                       3,896.8               3,549.5                   9.8               3.9
Screwfix Direct                                 220.6                 184.5                  19.6              19.6
Total UK                                      4,117.4               3,734.0                  10.3               4.7

(1)      Includes e-commerce sales in both years

B&Q achieved good growth against tough prior year comparatives, with sales in the quarter ahead by nearly 9% (LFL
+2.9%, Q4 2002 +8.0%).

B&Q's showroom offer (principally kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms) performed well in the quarter, the most important
sales period for these categories. Competitive pricing and new ranges of kitchen doors and accessories, built-in
appliances and bedroom furniture helped drive sales. B&Q's extended seasonal offer, with a wider range of Christmas
lights and decorations, boosted sales in December. The Homeplan card supported sales growth with around a third of all
kitchens purchased using the card.

B&Q opened two new Warehouse stores in the quarter and accelerated the pace of the mini-Warehouse conversion
programme, converting a further eight stores in the quarter, taking the total now trading to 28. At the year end, a
further seven revamps were in progress, all of which will be re-launched by the end of the first quarter. During 2003/
4 the mini-Warehouse conversion programme added 0.5% to B&Q's like-for-like result.


Screwfix Direct had another good quarter, with just over 20% sales growth. Growth in plumbing and electrical ranges
was particularly strong.

France

For the 13 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                        2003/4            2002/3          % change          % change    % like-for-like
                                                                       (reported)        (constant)             change
Castorama (1) (2)                       347.5             308.3              12.7               4.9                1.9
Brico Depot                             187.8             147.6              27.3              18.0                9.1
Total France (1)(2) (3)                 535.3             455.8              17.4               9.1                4.2

For the 52 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                        2003/4            2002/3          % change          % change    % like-for-like
                                                                       (reported)        (constant)             change
Castorama (1) (2)                     1,541.8           1,364.6              13.0               2.7                1.6
Brico Depot                             786.1             568.8              38.2              25.7               12.1
Total France (1) (2) (3)              2,327.8           1,933.4              20.4               9.5                4.7

(1)        Includes e-commerce and Amiland sales in both years
(2)        Excludes Dubois Materiaux
(3)        2004 £1 = Euro 1.4392, 2003 £1 = Euro 1.5828

Castorama delivered fourth quarter sales growth of just under 5% in constant currency (LFL +1.9%), ahead of the French
DIY market. The showroom category performed well, driven by new bathroom and shower ranges and a successful kitchen
promotion. Pre-Christmas power tool sales were also strong, with Castorama's own- brand power tool, MacAllister,
performing particularly well. End of aisle displays continue to be an important part of reinforcing Castorama's price
message with laminate flooring promotions especially effective.

Three new format stores continued to perform ahead of expectations and a further five stores are currently being
revamped ahead of the key spring season.

Brico Depot again performed strongly, with growth of 18% in constant currency (LFL +9.1%). All categories performed
well, with strong sales of kitchens and wooden flooring.

During the quarter, Brico Depot opened two new stores, relocated one store and carried out one major refurbishment,
bringing the total number of stores trading at the end of the year to 59.

International

For the 13 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                        2003/4            2002/3          % change          % change    % like-for-like
                                                                       (reported)        (constant)             change
Poland                                   70.5              59.3              18.8              28.7               19.5
Italy                                    45.3              33.2              36.5              27.7                3.1
China                                    46.3              34.7              33.4              61.6                1.0
Other Int'l (1)                           1.9                 -               n/a                 -                  -
Total Int'l                             163.9             127.2              28.9              38.0               10.2

For the 52 weeks ended 31st January 2004

Retail sales £m                        2003/4            2002/3          % change          % change    % like-for-like
                                                                       (reported)        (constant)             change
Poland                                  285.6             235.1              21.5              26.4               13.1
Italy                                   173.7             139.9              24.2              12.9                7.6
China                                   131.5              88.0              49.5              63.8                9.1
Other Int'l (1)                           2.3                 -               n/a                 -                  -
Total Int'l                             593.0             462.9              28.1              28.9               10.7

(1)       Other International comprises Hornbach, B&Q Taiwan, Koctas in Turkey, B&Q Korea, Brico Stock Spain

Castorama Poland continued to perform well, with good underlying sales growth boosted in the quarter by strong demand
ahead of increased VAT charges on some product categories expected in May 2004, on EU accession. Castorama Poland
opened one new store during the period.

Castorama Italy's sales growth came from showroom and decorative products and selling space expansion with one new
store opened during the quarter.  Strong prior year comparatives (2002 LFL +10.9%) and relatively subdued consumer
confidence contributed to modest LFL progression.

B&Q China now has a total of 15 stores trading compared to eight a year ago. Sales growth was primarily driven by
space expansion as the business continued to be affected by the SARS epidemic and increased competition in Shanghai.
Sales growth was also impacted by a reduction in the level of voucher promotional activity but margins improved as a
consequence.

B&Q Taiwan experienced a significant recovery in sales growth, with the lifting of the SARS restrictions providing a
general boost to the economy. Installation sales performed particularly well.

Group Accounting Policy Changes

In November 2003 Application Note G to FRS 5 on Revenue Recognition was issued and will be adopted in Kingfisher's
audited 2003/4 financial statements. As a result Kingfisher will provide for estimated product returns and will
recognise sales of product requiring installation or delivery at the point of service completion rather than at the
point of payment. This change principally affects the reported results of B&Q and the impact is to reduce reported LFL
for Q4 by 0.8% to 2.9% (nil effect for the full year LFL growth).

Furthermore Kingfisher will also adopt early UITF 38 covering accounting for the Group's ESOP Trust. In future any
gain or loss on sale, cancellation or write-down of own shares held will go through reserves rather than the profit
and loss account.

The combined effect of these non cash accounting changes will be to reduce Kingfisher's 2003/4 reported retail profit
by around £10m.

                                                       - ENDS -

Company profile

Kingfisher is Europe's leading home improvement retailer with leading market positions in the UK, France, Poland,
Italy, China and Taiwan.  Sales for the ongoing Home Improvement business (1) for the year ended 31 January 2004 were
just over £7 billion of which £2.9 billion, or 41%, was generated outside the UK.

Kingfisher operates over 550 stores in nine countries in Europe and Asia.  The Group also has a strategic alliance
with Hornbach, Germany's leading DIY Warehouse retailer, which operates more than 100 stores in Germany, Austria,
Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

1) Ongoing Home Improvement business excludes Dubois Materiaux, Reno Depot, Nomi, Castorama Belgium, Castorama Germany
and Castorama Brazil.

Enquiries:

Ian Harding                                                020 7644 1029
Director of Communications

Nigel Cope                                                 020 7644 1030
Head of External Communications

Loraine Woodhouse                                          020 7644 1032
Head of Investor Relations

Further copies of this announcement can be downloaded from www.kingfisher.com




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange