Grafton Group

Capital/Financing Update • Nov 13, 2018

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RNS Number : 1079H

Grafton Group PLC

13 November 2018

Grafton Group plc

Trading Update

13 November 2018

Grafton Group plc, the international builders merchanting and DIY Group, issues this trading update for the period from 1 July 2018 to 31 October 2018. 

Group Revenue

Like-for-like Group revenue for the four months ended 31 October increased by 5.5 per cent and total revenue increased over the same period by 10.2 per cent.

Group revenue for the ten months to 31 October increased by 9.3 per cent to £2.5 billion (ten months to 31 October 2017: £2.3 billion) and by 8.9 per cent in constant currency.  Like-for-like Group revenue increased by 4.4 per cent.

The table below shows the changes in average daily like-for-like revenue and in total revenue compared to the same periods in 2017.

Segment	Average Daily Like-for-Like Revenue Growth  in Constant Currency			Total Revenue Growth
Constant Currency	Sterling
	Six Months to 30 June 2018	Four Months to 31 October 2018	Ten Months to 31 October 2018	Ten Months to 31 October 2018	Ten Months to 31 October 2018
Merchanting
- UK	1.8%	4.2%	2.7%	8.1%	8.1%
- Ireland	6.3%	10.0%	7.8%	9.2%	10.2%
- Netherlands	7.9%	6.7%	7.5%	19.7%	21.0%
- Belgium	(3.9%)	2.4%	(1.6%)	0.7%	1.7%
Retailing	13.4%	4.6%	9.9%	9.9%	11.0%
Manufacturing	21.0%	18.5%	19.9%	20.5%	20.6%
Group	3.8%	5.5%	4.4%	8.9%	9.3%

Gavin Slark, Chief Executive Officer of Grafton Group plc commented today:                    

"Trading in the UK has been consistent with our expectations at the time of the Interim Results. The Group has benefitted from its exposure to multiple geographic markets and saw its businesses in Ireland and the Netherlands perform well. Following a good first half performance, overall trading in the last four months has underpinned our confidence that we will deliver our expectations for the full year."

Our next trading update is scheduled to be published on 11 January 2019.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Grafton Group plc                            +353 1 216 0600

Gavin Slark                                         Chief Executive Officer

David Arnold                                      Chief Financial Officer

MHP Communications                    +4420 3128 8778

Tim Rowntree

Murray                                                +353 1 498 0300

Pat Walsh

About Grafton

Grafton Group plc is an international distributor of building materials to trade customers and has leading regional or national positions in the merchanting markets in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium. Grafton is also the market leader in the DIY retailing market in Ireland and is the largest manufacturer of dry mortar in the UK.

Grafton trades from circa 675 branches and has over 12,500 employees. Its portfolio of brands include Selco, Buildbase, Plumbase, Leyland SDM, MacBlair and CPI EuroMix in the UK; Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley and Woodie's in Ireland; Isero and Gunters en Meuser in the Netherlands and YouBuild and MPRO in Belgium.

For further information visit www.graftonplc.com

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