Value retailer B&M has reported a growth in full year sales with its General Merchandise division delivering a “robust” performance.
According to its Preliminary Results for the 52-week financial reporting period to 29 March 2025, total group sales rose 3.7% to £5.6bn from £5.3bn in 2024.
Group adjusted EBITDA resulted at £620m, which was is in the upper half of the guided range from February 2025, and is 0.6% higher than £616m recorded the previous year.
Robust Group gross margin performance underpinned by an increase in B&M UK’s trading margin which rose by 42 bps to 36.7% due to increased General Merchandise sales participation and clean sell-through during the year.
B&M UK sales rose 3.8% to £4.4bn from £4.3bn with statutory pre-tax profit resulting at £530m, down 1.3% from £537m.
B&M said that its performance in General Merchandise was “robust”, with LFL volume and total volume gains achieved over the last 12 months which underpinned the Group’s overall profit delivery.
“The business implemented a deflationary pricing strategy passing on improved sourcing terms to drive volume growth, particularly in key categories like homewares, toys, seasonal, and electricals,” the group said. “In the second and third financial quarter, while there was a positive customer response leading to increased volumes sold and good trading margins, the pricing approach depressed sales value growth, and this led to a LFL sales value decline in General Merchandise for the financial year.
“In Q4, with some range adjustments to include higher selling price products, both B&M UK LFL volumes and values grew. Q4’s volume-led but balanced average selling price approach will continue into FY26.”
During the year, B&M opened 70 gross new stores across the Group, 45 in B&M UK, 14 in Heron Foods and 11 in B&M France.
“The B&M France fascia delivered a solid performance, contributing positively to overall Group growth with a total revenue increase of 7.8% (+2.6% LFL), driven by positive customer transaction numbers and new stores opened during the year performing well and demonstrating the brand’s potential across various formats,” the group added. “While investment in the distribution capabilities to enable growth impacted margins, B&M France remains a key growth driver.”
