IMS & Trading Update

Victoria PLC 01 February 2008 Issued by Citigate Dewe Rogerson Ltd, Birmingham Date: Friday, 1 February 2008 IMMEDIATE RELEASE VICTORIA PLC ('Victoria', 'Group' or 'Company) Interim Management Statement and Trading Update The Board is pleased to report that the Group has continued to make good progress since issuing its half-year results for the six months ended 30 September 2007. The Group is now confident that the result for the year ending 29 March 2008 will be significantly ahead of the forecasts currently in the market for the Company. INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Progress across the Group in the quarter ended 29 December 2007 is summarised below: AUSTRALIA Our Australian operation has continued with the strong performance delivered in the first half-year, with December being a particularly strong month. As a result, revenues in local currency, were 17.9% higher in the quarter ended December 2007 compared to the same period in 2006. A strong product portfolio and healthy forward order book sees our Australian division well placed as we move into the final quarter of our financial year. UK Despite the challenging conditions presented by the faltering UK economy and housing market, Victoria Carpets enjoyed a solid performance in the run-up to Christmas. With new products introduced earlier in 2007 performing particularly well, coupled with Victoria's strong customer associations, the UK business delivered a good performance. This has resulted in revenues being ahead of the corresponding period by 14.3%. IRELAND Our Irish operations enjoyed mixed fortunes in the quarter ended December 2007. Residential sales from Navan Carpets benefited from the strong product offering and the seasonal uplift normally expected. With revenues up 8.5% on the corresponding period last year, this business has delivered a better than expected result. Munster Carpets, our contract operation, however, failed to see any of the previously anticipated uplift in the market. Overall, in local currency, revenues from Ireland were 1.1% up on the same quarter last year. CANADA Progress in Canada has been maintained with revenues in local currency up 8.6% on the same quarter last year. FOREIGN EXCHANGE The relative weakness of Sterling in the third quarter has had a positive effect on the consolidated profitability of the Group. The Group continues to maintain a proportion of its borrowings in Australian dollars, which helps to act as a natural hedge against movements in the exchange rate. FINANCIAL POSITION There has been no other significant change in the financial position of the Group since the half-year results announced in November 2007, save for the information contained in this Interim Management Statement. TRADING UPDATE Based on the Group's performance to date, the Board is confident that Victoria will deliver a result significantly ahead of the current market forecasts for the year ending 29 March 2008. The outlook in Australia continues to look positive and the Company intends to increase capacity to meet market demand for its products. Conversely, the prospects in the UK may be impacted by the difficulties facing the wider UK economy and consumer spending in particular. Similarly, in Ireland the market conditions lack any clear visibility. The Group does, however, feel that its strong products, high levels of service and strength of management should enable it to weather market conditions during the coming year. Enquiries: Alan Bullock, Group Managing Director Ian Davies, Group Finance Director Fiona Tooley, Director Victoria PLC Citigate Dewe Rogerson Tel: +44 (0) 1562 749640 Tel: +44 (0) 121 455 8370 www.victoria.plc.uk Mobile: +44 (0) 7785 703523 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Companies

Victoria (VCP)
UK 100

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