Insider Media Limited

Travis Perkins, the Northampton-based builders' merchant and DIY retailer, has reported a rise in turnover of 5.9 per cent over the last four months, it said this morning. The company, which owns Wickes and BSS, said the rise was due to "increased outperformance" combined with product inflation.

Travis Perkins revealed its results for the four months to the end of April on the London Stock Exchange this morning.

The company said it opened 14 more branches in its first quarter, bringing the total number trading up to 1,827.

Driving down into the figures, Travis Perkins said that total turnover in its merchanting division was up 11.1 per cent, representing an increase in like-for-like turnover per trading day of 12.8 per cent.

Like-for-like turnover per trading day for the last two months to 30 April increased by 10.4 per cent. Total turnover for general merchanting was up 10.5 per cent for the four months, with like-for-like turnover per trading day up 12.5 per cent.

The company’s specialist merchanting business saw total turnover increase 12 per cent.

In the Wickes division, turnover for the 17 week period was up 3.1 per cent with like-for-like delivered sales up by 1.9 per cent.

Total turnover for BSS for the first four months of 2011 was up by 0.4 per cent; like-for-like turnover per trading day was up 2.3 per cent.

Geoff Cooper, chief executive, said: "After strong early progress against weak weather related comparatives, we are pleased with the overall progress the group has made in the first four months of this year. Current trading is in line with management expectations with the benefit of strong sales performance balancing a slightly lower gross margin in merchanting.

"We continue to take market share against a tough market backdrop, confirming the sustainable strength of our organic growth strategy. Our more positive merchanting and BSS performance is more than balancing the effect of a challenging consumer environment for our retail business."