Home improvement retailer B&Q has reported a growth in half year revenues as big ticket sales continue to deliver a positive performance.
According to the latest Kingfisher, parent company of B&Q, trading update for the six months ended 31 July 2025, total half year 2025 sales were up 0.9% to £6.8bn from £6.7bn, with like-for-like sales up by 1.3%.
Group statutory pre-tax profit increased 4.1% to £338m from £324m year-on-year.
Kingfisher said that UK market delivered a strong performance across both B&Q and Screwfix with LFL +4.4% and 3.0% respectively with improving sequential trends in France and Poland.
Total B&Q sales rose +4.6% (LFL +4.4%) to £2.1bn, with growth driven by its initiatives in trade, e-commerce and innovation in big ticket categories. This was further supported by customer transference from the closure of Homebase stores and seasonal products due to favourable weather.
“Big-ticket LFL growth was underpinned by our successful range reviews. The introduction of our tiered kitchen offering – Essential, Select, and Signature – has broadened customer appeal and contributed meaningfully to performance,” the group said.
“Strong seasonal LFL growth was due to our outdoor categories, which also benefitted from recent Homebase store closures.”
During the period, B&Q opened nine stores – including eight converted Homebase sites – and closed two. As of 31 July, it operated 317 stores across the UK and Ireland. Space growth contributed +0.2% to total B&Q sales.
Looking ahead, the group added: “We now expect to deliver FY 25/26 adjusted PBT at the upper end of the previously guided range of approximately £480m to £540m. This reflects our strong profit performance in the first half, alongside second half weighted investment in marketing and technology to support our strategic growth initiatives.”
Thierry Garnier, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We delivered a strong first half with high quality underlying like-for-like sales growth of 1.9%, driven by increased volumes and transactions. Our teams continue to execute at a high level, delivering double-digit growth in our strategic initiatives, trade and e-commerce, which supported our market share gains. We were encouraged by underlying quarter-on-quarter growth in our core categories, and a third consecutive quarter of growth in big ticket sales.
“In a higher cost environment, we remain disciplined on managing costs and cash. Our margin and operating cost initiatives combined with the positive impact of our strategic drivers enabled us to deliver 10.2% growth in adjusted PBT and 16.5% growth in adjusted EPS. Free cash flow rose by 13.5%.
“Our expectations for our markets for the year remain consistent with what we outlined in March, whilst mindful of mixed consumer sentiment and political uncertainty. Combined with our H1 performance, this gives us the confidence to upgrade our full year profit and free cash flow guidance and to accelerate our share buyback programme. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, maintaining cost discipline and driving shareholder returns.”
