Agenda: Next and Wickes owner Travis Perkins update

Travis Perkins

The Wickes and Toolstation owner unveils its half-year results on Wednesday, August 2.

Analysts will be expecting to see continued momentum from its consumer division, which enjoyed a 2.9% uplift in like-for-likes during the three months ending March 31.

Total sales across its retail arm jumped 4.4%, although those sales gains were driven largely by 2.4% growth in store numbers.

Across the wider Travis Perkins group – which includes general merchanting, contracts, and plumbing and heating businesses – like-for-likes advanced 2.7%, while total sales spiked 4.9%.

The business insisted back in April that it had “sufficient flexibility in its operating model and financial position” to adapt to changing market conditions – something it will hope to reflect in its interim performance.

Next

The fashion behemoth updates the market with details of its second-quarter trading performance on Thursday, August 3.

Next has found trading tough amid fierce competition in the apparel market, with pre-tax profit falling 3.8% to £790.2m in the year to January 31.

At the time of that update in March, its boss Lord Wolfson warned of further “external headwinds” in the year ahead – and Next was forced to cut its top-end profit guidance after total sales fell 2.5% in the first quarter of its current financial year.

Next Home is launching a new own-label brand and is extending its shop-in-shop tie-up with Eve Sleep as it bids to transform its fortunes and the City will be seeking assurances that such moves will bear fruit.