Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Builders merchant Travis Perkins has announced its half year results for the 6 months to June 30 2026.
The group reported a resilient performance, with early progress made in improving General Merchant turnaround, expanding gross margins through effective pass-through of price inflation, favourable sales mix and procurement gains.
Adjusted operating profit, excluding property profits, held steady at £62m, with a statutory operating profit of £65m (2025: £59m).
Group revenue declined 1.8%, driven by a reduction in volumes due to challenging market conditions and the sale of Staircraft in 2025, partially offset by building material price inflation.
CEO Gavin Slark said: “We have built on the operational progress made last year, with a new senior leadership team in place and a clear set of priorities. This stability and focus is serving us well as we implement further change.
“Our financial position continues to strengthen and is providing us with the flexibility to invest where we see the best opportunities ahead of any market recovery.
“We’ve been very open about the improvement in performance within Green and Gold, the Travis Perkins branded general merchant business, where we’ve seen profit improve in that business by mid to high single digit percentage. It’s really encouraging to see the general merchant business starting its line of recovery, and going back through to impact the group numbers.”
The business will continue to invest where required, he explained. “During this year we’ll have invested over £30m in terms of fleet renewal within the merchant business, as well as in the properties because a number of the branches needed refreshing, reinvigorating and renewing. So, investment will still be taking place across the group, but in a very disciplined and controlled way.”
