Wickes reports strong third quarter

British DIY chain Wickes has reported strong year-on-year growth for the third quarter. The group increased its turnover by 6.9 per cent to GBP 420.1 mio (EUR 481.3 mio) compared with the same period last year. Like-for-like growth was 5.9 per cent.

Wickes operates in two business areas. The Retail division generated GBP 312.5 mio (EUR 358.0 mio) in sales, up 6.7 per cent, or 5.6 per cent on a like-for-like basis. According to a quarterly report, business with local professionals continued to perform strongly in this division. Sales in the DIY sector once again grew in the mid-single-digit percentage range.

For the second, smaller Design & Installation division, which generated GBP 107.6 mio (EUR 124.3 mio) in the third quarter, Wickes reported growth of 7.8 per cent, or 7.0 per cent on a like-for-like basis.

The overall picture for the first three quarters is as follows: Group turnover…