Final Results - Year Ended 31 December 1999

Try Group PLC
6 March 2000


PRELIMINARY STATEMENT BASED ON THE AUDITED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED 31 DECEMBER 1999

HIGHLIGHTS

Try Group PLC, the construction services provider and housebuilder, announces
record profits and excellent prospects for further growth.

                                                1999       1998       Increase
Turnover                                       £166m      £151m          + 10%
Profit before tax                             £5.02m     £3.41m          + 48%
Earnings per share                             6.54p      4.56p          + 43%
Shareholders' funds                           £19.1m     £15.3m          + 25%

* 48% rise in profit before tax to record level.

* Strong growth from Try Homes.  Turnover up 36% and operating profit up 50%.

* Try Interiors successfully launched.  Try Accord rebranding as a maintenance
  and infrastructure provider completed.

* Construction services order book up 19% to record level of £127 million.
  70% awarded on value criteria.

* Final dividend of 0.75p proposed, making a total of 1.15p for the year
  (1998: 1.0p).

Hugh Try, Chairman of Try Group  PLC, commenting on results and prospects,
said,

'I am delighted to announce record trading results.  These excellent results
reflect the strength of the Try brand across all its areas of operation and
the success of our strategy to extend Try's range of construction services.

With the expansion of our construction services and our housebuilding business
continuing its pattern of growth, the Board is confident of another good
year.'

Further enquiries:-

Try Group PLC        David Calverley, Chief Executive         T: 01895 855220
                     Frank Nelson, Finance Director           T: 01895 855221
Biddick Associates   Zoe Biddick/Katie Tzouliadis             T: 020 7377 6677


CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

I am delighted to announce a record set of results for the year to 31 December
1999.  Profit before tax for the period increased by 48% to £5.02m (1998:
£3.41m) against a 10% rise in turnover to £166.1m  (1998: £150.6m).  Earnings
per share grew by 43% to 6.54p (1998: 4.56p).

These excellent results reflect the strength of the Try brand across all our
areas of operation and the success of the group's strategy to extend its range
of construction services.  This is enabling us to take advantage of the trend
within the market for clients to outsource work to a smaller number of
preferred service providers.  Try Homes, our housebuilding division, performed
strongly with demand remaining buoyant for its quality homes and conversions.
We believe that there is tremendous potential to continue to increase Try
Homes market share in the South East of England.

FINANCE AND DIVIDEND

Our balance sheet remains very strong, with shareholders' funds now standing
at £19.1 million, an increase of 25% on the previous year (1998: £15.3m), and
net cash in hand at the year end of £2.8 million.  This reflects our prudent
approach to cash management and our strong cash flow.  Over the coming year,
with our programme of investment in housebuilding, we expect our average
borrowings to rise.

The directors recommend a final dividend of 0.75p per share which, when taken
together with the interim dividend of 0.4p paid in October 1999, makes a total
dividend for the year of 1.15p, compared to 1.0p for the previous year.

STRATEGY

Our contracting division has been rebranded as Construction Services to
underline the wider range of contracting services we now offer.  We are well
positioned in this market as a quality service provider with a growing number
of long term clients.

Experienced clients are increasingly turning away from competitive tendering,
partnering with a few preferred service providers. This offers us the
opportunity not only to develop longer term relationships with clients, with
improved margins for good performance but also to provide additional services.
Such clients, who use a wide range of construction services, represent our
prime market.  With the extension of our services, in particular the
additional investment we have been making in our interior fit-out operation
Try Interiors, and our buildings maintenance company Try Accord, we are
greatly encouraged by our growth prospects in this marketplace.

Try Homes met our expansion targets in 1999, successfully building on the
acquisition of Amey Homes in October 1998 to increase its share of the market
in the South East of England.  We have already proved that our formula of
individually designed developments, concentrating on quality conversions, many
with an urban bias, is in tune with purchasers' aspirations. We believe that
we have the scope to substantially increase our market share.

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

1999 was a year when we invested heavily in the future.  70% of our current
order book has been secured on value criteria demonstrating the strength of
our reputation with our client base.  Try Interiors was launched as the
specialist fit-out and refurbishment arm of Try Construction, and we commenced
a comprehensive IT investment programme to support the next phase of growth
planned at Try Accord.  Overall, the construction services operating profit
was unchanged at £1.0m on a turnover of £125m.

Try Construction

Try Construction has a wide range of major project clients.  Property
investors include The Grosvenor Estate, Slough Estates, Development Securities
and the Equitable Life.  Corporate clients encompass BP Amoco and Michelin to
Granada and Welcome Break.  In 1999 Try Construction added Morley Properties,
part of CGU, and Laing Property to the list of clients where it has 'preferred
service provider' status.  These businesses have long term building
development programmes, which gives both continuity to their small panels of
preferred service providers and provides Try with a first class client base to
whom it can market its new services.  In the Midlands, Try Construction's
performance in servicing its mix of clients in the industrial, retail,
education and public sectors has led to a doubling of its turnover in the
year, and a profit performance that exceeded expectations.

Try Interiors was formed to respond to the need for a design led business to
carry out fit out and refurbishment projects.  It quickly won contracts for
new clients such as Scottish Power, the Tate Gallery and the Royal College of
Nurses, and is already working for long established Try clients such as The
Grosvenor Estate and Xerox.  As organisations restructure more frequently, the
demand for specialist interior fit-out work is growing rapidly.  Try
Interiors' presence in the thriving markets in the centre of London and the
South East has put it in a strong position to double its turnover over the
next two years.

Try Accord

Try Accord's  business is providing infrastructure and maintenance services
for industrial and utility clients, the railways, insurers and the public
sector. Although activity was lower than expected in 1999 there is an
opportunity to drive volume and margin growth by offering a one-stop shop for
both planned and reactive maintenance.  During 1999, we completed the first
step of a programme to transform the quality of our IT systems with the
objective of both improving our own efficiency and providing building owners
with performance data to manage their buildings better.  In tandem, we
established new training plans and bench-marking targets to ensure our
workforce continue to deliver superior levels of customer service.  Existing
clients such as the London Underground, the Metropolitan Police and RepairLine
will benefit as well as new clients for whom work was won in 1999.  These
include the Historic Royal Palaces in London, the Crown Estate Commissioners,
Thames Water and Essex Police.  Our objective is to develop Try Accord into a
significant profit contributor over the next three years.

HOUSEBUILDING

Try Homes

Try Homes grew strongly over the period, with turnover up 36% to £39.7m and
operating profits up 50% to £5.4m.  204 units were sold in total, at an
average selling price of £185,000 compared to 117 units at an average selling
price of £225,000 last year.

1999 saw the first full year contribution from Amey Homes, which was acquired
in October 1998.  The acquisition has added a new regional office in Surrey
and a greater concentration of sites to the South West of London.  The Try
Homes brand now stands out as a market leader in innovative conversions on
brownfield sites, many in urban areas.  These sites require individual design
and usually have heritage or intricate planning issues to resolve.  With its
current operations concentrated on the South East market, Try Homes is ideally
placed to increase its market share.  In this area, pressure on land and
regeneration initiatives mean that urban schemes are becoming ever more
desirable to purchasers and an effective way for planners to meet their
targets.

The market in 1999 was better than we originally expected, but one effect of
the buoyant housing market has been to drive up landowners' price
expectations.  Our policy is to work with landowners to maximise the
development potential of their land, usually by entering into contracts
conditional on planning or by option.  Currently our land bank of plots owned
or controlled stands at 464 units, with a number of other site acquisitions
at an advanced stage of negotiations.  Our objective is to grow the business
at a fast, but sustainable rate.

PROSPECTS

After record results, prospects for continuing strong growth in the current
year are extremely encouraging.  The Group's markets remain strong, with our
construction order book currently up 19% at a record level of £127m and the
value of house sales in hand at £17.4m. With the expansion of our construction
services and our housebuilding business continuing its pattern of growth, the
Board is confident of another good year.

6 March 2000


CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
Try Group PLC and its subsidiaries for the year ended 31 December 1999

                                                             1999        1998
                                                             £000        £000
Turnover
- Group - continuing operations                           166,086     150,611
- Less share of joint ventures' and associates' turnover   (3,483)    (11,254)
______________________________________________________________________________
Group turnover                                            162,603     139,357
Cost of sales                                            (149,624)   (129,709)
______________________________________________________________________________
Gross profit                                               12,979       9,648
Net operating expenses                                     (8,058)     (6,590)
______________________________________________________________________________
Group operating profits
- continuing operations                                     4,921       3,058

Share of profits in joint ventures                            292         285
Share of profits/(losses) in associates                        64         (92)
Share of profits in property associates                       134         397
______________________________________________________________________________
Profit on ordinary activities before interest               5,411       3,648

Net interest (payable)/receivable
- Group                                              (288)        (242)
- Joint ventures                                       10           74
- Associates                                         (108)         (74)
                                                     ____         ____
                                                             (386)       (242)
______________________________________________________________________________
Profit on ordinary activities before tax                    5,025       3,406
Tax on profit on ordinary activities                         (500)       (253)
______________________________________________________________________________
Profit on ordinary activities after tax                     4,525       3,153
Dividends                                                    (796)       (692)
______________________________________________________________________________
Profits for the financial year                              3,729       2,461
______________________________________________________________________________
Basic earnings per ordinary share (pence)                    6.54        4.56
Diluted earnings per ordinary share (pence)                  6.33        4.46
______________________________________________________________________________


CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
Try Group PLC and its subsidiaries at 31 December 1999

                                                             1999        1998
                                                             £000        £000

Fixed assets
Tangible assets                                             6,594       6,867

Investments in joint ventures
 Share of gross assets                                      1,239       2,433
 Share of gross liabilities                                (1,019)     (1,987)
                                                           ______      ______
                                                              220         446
Investments in associates                                     103         377
Other investments                                               -         622
______________________________________________________________________________
                                                            6,917       8,312
Current assets
Developments                                               39,123      27,040
Debtors - due within one year                              20,517      24,617
        - due after one year                                  791         866
Cash at bank and in hand                                    8,245      11,246
______________________________________________________________________________
                                                           68,676      63,769

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year            (56,457)    (56,322)
______________________________________________________________________________
Net current assets                                         12,219       7,447
______________________________________________________________________________
Total assets less current liabilities                      19,136      15,759

Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year         -        (322)
Provisions for liabilities and charges                        (77)       (181)
______________________________________________________________________________
                                                           19,059      15,256
______________________________________________________________________________
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital                                     6,920       6,920
Share premium account                                       2,888       2,888
Revaluation reserve                                         1,760       1,760
Other reserves                                                144          70
Profit and loss account                                     7,347       3,618
______________________________________________________________________________
Equity shareholders' funds                                 19,059      15,256
______________________________________________________________________________


CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
Try Group PLC and its subsidiaries for the year ended 31 December 1999

                                                         1999            1998
                                                 £000    £000    £000    £000
Net cash inflow/(outflow)
 from operating activities                                552            (970)
Dividends received from joint ventures                      -             256
Returns on investments and servicing of finance
Interest received                                  91             102
Interest paid on bank and other borrowings       (394)           (284)
                                                _____           _____
                                                         (303)           (182)
Taxation                                                 (191)              -
Capital expenditure and financial investment              875           2,814
Acquisitions and disposals
Investment in associated undertakings               -            (113)
Purchase of subsidiary undertakings                 -          (3,908)
                                                _____           _____
                                                            -          (4,021)
Equity dividends paid                                    (727)           (657)
______________________________________________________________________________
Net cash inflow/(outflow) before use of 
 liquid resources and financing                           206          (2,760)
Management of liquid resources
Reduction in short term deposits with banks               600           2,634
Financing
Repayment of bank loans                        (3,090)           (462)
Borrowings acquired with subsidiaries               -           5,433
Funding of associated undertakings' losses       (117)              -
                                                _____           _____
                                                       (3,207)          4,971
______________________________________________________________________________
(Decrease)/increase in cash in the period              (2,401)          4,845
______________________________________________________________________________
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement
 in net debt
(Decrease)/increase in cash in period                  (2,401)          4,845
Cash repaying bank loans                                3,090             462
Borrowings acquired with subsidiaries                       -          (5,433)
Reduction in short term deposits with banks              (600)         (2,634)
______________________________________________________________________________
Change in net cash                                         89          (2,760)
Net cash at 1 January                                   2,661           5,421
______________________________________________________________________________
Net cash at 31 December                                 2,750           2,661
______________________________________________________________________________


SEGMENTAL ANALYSIS
Try Group PLC and its subsidiaries for the year ended 31 December 1999

              Turnover  Associates             Turnover  Associates
             including         and            including         and
            associates       joint           associates       joint
             and joint    ventures     Group  and joint    ventures     Group
              ventures    turnover  turnover   ventures    turnover  turnover
Class of          1999        1999      1999       1998        1998      1998
business          £000        £000      £000       £000        £000      £000

Construction
 services      125,076          28   125,048    117,672       2,046   115,626
Housebuilding   39,706       2,151    37,555     29,278       5,646    23,632
Group            1,304       1,304         -      3,661       3,562        99
              _______________________________________________________________
               166,086       3,483   162,603    150,611      11,254   139,357
              _______________________________________________________________

Construction services includes joint ventures' turnover of £28,000 (1998:
£2,046,000) and housebuilding includes joint ventures' turnover of £2,151,000
(1998: £5,646,000).  The associates' turnover of £1,304,000 (1998: £3,562,000)
is included in Group.  All turnover arises in the United Kingdom.

               Profit/(loss) before interest          Net assets/(liabilities)
                              1999      1998                   1999      1998
                              £000      £000                   £000      £000

Construction
 services                      989     1,022                (12,439)  (11,708)
Housebuilding                5,387     3,590                 19,992    19,148
Group                         (965)     (964)                 8,756     5,155
                            ________________                 ________________
                             5,411     3,648                 16,309    12,595
Net cash                                                      2,750     2,661
                                                             ________________
                                                             19,059    15,256
                                                             ________________

The share of profits in the joint ventures relating to construction services
of £126,000 (1998: £127,000) and housebuilding of £166,000 (1998: £158,000) is
included in profit before interest.  The share of net assets/(liabilities)
relating to the joint ventures included in construction services and
housebuilding is £140,000 (1998: £37,000) and £80,000 (1998: £409,000)
respectively.

The share of profits for associates included a profit of £134,000 (1998:
£397,000) relating to the discontinuing property activities and a profit of
£64,000 (1998: £92,000 loss) relating to an associate which is included in
group.  The share of net assets/(liabilities) relating to it and the
discontinuing property associates of £198,000 (1998: £166,000) and £113,000
(1998: £70,000 asset) respectively are included in group.

DIVIDEND

The Directors recommend a final dividend for the year ended 31 December 1999
of 0.75p per share which, subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting to
be held on 16 May 2000, will be paid on 19 May 2000 to shareholders on the
register at 14 April 2000.