TOP NEWS: B&M eyes profit at ‘top end’ and annual revenue growth

Archived article

Please note that tax, investment, pension and ISA rules can change and the information and any views contained in this article may now be inaccurate.

B&M European Value Retail on Tuesday said it expects annual profit at the ‘top end’ of its guidance, hailing a year of ‘strong operational execution’.

For the 53 weeks ended March 30, the Luxembourg-headquartered variety goods retailer said group revenue rose 10% annually to £5.5 billion.

Revenue in B&M UK climbed 8.5% to £4.41 billion, in France it surged 19% to £514 million, and at Heron Foods it increased 15% to £560 million. The retailer’s Heron Foods arm largely sells frozen goods.

B&M said it saw ‘volume growth and positive like-for-like’ over the course of the year, which also benefitted from an extra week and early Easter timing.

It expects adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation will rise 9.8% to £629 million, the top end of its £620 million to £630 million range. This is up 9.8% from £573 million a year earlier.

B&M also noted that it opened 47 B&M UK gross new stores, two ahead of previous guidance. The openings are trading well, it added.

Chief Executive Alex Russo said: ‘The business and team are well set up for the year ahead, our pipeline remains on track to open not less than 45 UK B&M stores in each of the next two financial years and our French and Heron businesses continue to demonstrate significant profitable growth potential.’

Shares in B&M were down 1.8% to 501.60 pence each in London early Tuesday.

Copyright 2024 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.