Travis Perkins PLC
11 November 2005
11 November 2005
Travis Perkins plc
Trading Update
Travis Perkins is today providing an update on the group's trading:
Whilst overall trading in the first four months of the second half-year has been
broadly in line with expectations, market conditions and lead indicators have
worsened significantly from mid-October.
Ten Months Two Months Four Months
to October to August to October
2005 2005 2005
Interim
Announcement
Like-for-like turnover per trading day
General Merchanting + 0.9% +0.1 - 0.4%
Specialist Merchanting - 2.7% -0.5 - 0.9%
Retailing - Core - 6.2% -7.4 - 9.0%
- Showroom -13.8% -21.1%
In retailing, competitors recently launched increased price led promotional
activity aimed at recovering lost market share. Although much of the activity
has involved product categories not sold by Wickes, we have seen some impact on
volumes both from this and from a further deterioration in consumer confidence.
We anticipate that this heightened level of price driven competition will
continue into 2006 and will reverse some of the market share gains made up to
August 2005. Wickes has deliberately not responded directly on price, but
instead targeted promotions and further cost reductions have enabled Wickes to
maintain its operating margins in this tougher environment.
In merchanting our selective pricing tactics and our improved offer to our trade
customers has continued to gain turnover and profit, with some evidence we are
gaining market share overall. Despite this, we have seen a slow down in activity
from mid-October, and our monthly customer confidence surveys have recorded a
marked deterioration in anticipated workloads and order books.
Accordingly, we expect trading conditions in merchanting to worsen more than
usual through the winter period, with the prospect of an extended shutdown in
the building sector over the holiday season.
We continue to take action to mitigate the effects of this environment.
Our like-for-like numbers employed continue to fall relative to 2004 and
merchanting productivity has continued to rise. With buying gains and synergies
from the Wickes transaction exceeding our original expectations, overall we do
not expect adjusted PBT to be less than £205 million in the year to December 31
2005.
As we indicated in the most recent interim results, we will need to see a
reduction in borrowing costs and in other pressures on disposable incomes before
we can expect a strengthening of our markets next year.
- ends -
Enquiries:
Geoff Cooper, Chief Executive +44 (0) 1604 683131
Paul Hampden Smith, Finance Director +44 (0) 7712 878242
Travis Perkins plc
David Bick/Mike Feltham
Holborn Public Relations +44 (0) 207 929 5599
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