Trading Statement

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