Home improvement retailer Wickes has reported a growth in sales, driven by strong performances in building, garden and decorating categories.
According to its latest trading update for the 17 weeks to 26 April 2025, total sales rose 6.9% to £533.1m compared the comparative period in 2024. Like-for-like sales were up 5.5%.
Within its segments, retail sales rose 9.6% to £396.7m, while design & installation revenues fell 0.4% to £136.4m.
Wickes said the start of 2025 has seen “good growth momentum” across the business. “Retail sales delivered strong growth in the period, demonstrating the continued success of Wickes’ great value and service-led proposition,” the group said. “We increased market share further, with particularly strong performance in building, garden and decorating categories. This sales performance was again driven by volume growth, with deflation close to zero in the period.
“DIY sales were also in year-on-year growth, driven by volume, as a result of an increase in customer transactions. We have been well positioned to benefit from the warmer weather at the start of this year, which has supported the strong sales performance in Retail.
“The positive momentum within Design & Installation sales has continued. We have achieved another consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth in ordered sales, following a number of actions taken during 2024 to improve our customer offer and experience. As expected, delivered sales (which lag ordered sales by a few months) were broadly flat in the first 17 weeks of 2025.”
Wickes added that work is underway to convert four former Homebase stores as part of its plan to open 5-7 new stores in 2025, as well as refitting three further stores in the period and c.80% of the store estate is in the new format.
David Wood, Chief Executive of Wickes, commented: “This has been a strong start to the new financial year, with the further increase in sales driven exclusively by volume growth, as more customers shop with us.
“Within Retail, we have gone from strength to strength. We have taken further market share and seen a very good market outperformance in timber, hardware, decor and garden.
“In Design & Installation, we are benefitting from the actions taken to enhance the Wickes offer. This is a segment demonstrating real momentum, with a second quarter in a row of ordered sales growth.
“While we continue to be mindful of consumer sentiment and a challenging external environment, we have a strong platform in place and we are well set to continue delivering against our strategy.”
