Earnings release
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Strong Trading and Increased Full Year Operating Profit Guidance Grafton Group plc ( " Grafton " or " the Group " ) , the international building materials distributor and DIY retailer , issues this trading update for the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 October 2021 . Trading Performance The positive revenue trends experienced in the first half were sustained in the period , supported by good underlying demand in the Group's markets and further normalisation of trading conditions as Covid - 19 restrictions were lifted . The strength of the Group's brands and trading formats together with generally favorable conditions in its markets contributed to an encouraging outcome for the period despite supply chain pressures and heightened price inflation for building materials that was the key driver of revenue growth in the distribution businesses in the UK and Ireland . Grafton Group plc Trading Update Group total revenue from continuing operations , which excludes the traditional merchanting business in Great Britain that is being divested , increased by 28.3 per cent to £ 1.76 billion in the ten months to 31 October 2021 from £ 1.37 billion in the same period in 2020 and by 27.1 per cent from £ 1.39 billion in the same period in 2019 . Increase in Operating Profit Guidance Trading in the period was stronger than anticipated and we now expect that full year Group adjusted operating profit¹ in continuing operations will be in the range of £ 265 million to £ 270 million . This compares to current consensus² Analysts ' forecasts of £ 256 million . Segment Trading - Continuing Operations The table below shows the changes in average daily like - for - like revenue for the four months to the end of October and in total revenue for the ten months in continuing operations compared to the same periods in 2020 and 2019 . Segment Distribution - UK ( Continuing Operations ) - Ireland - Netherlands Retailing Manufacturing Group ( Continuing Operations ) Average Daily Like - for - Like Constant Currency Revenue Growth Period - 1 July to 31 October 2021 vs 2020 2021 vs 2019 7.0 % 8.7 % 3.6 % ( 13.9 % ) 5.7 % 4.1 % 16.6 % 20.2 % 7.4 % 21.7 % ( 6.2 % ) 15.7 % Total Revenue Sterling Period - 1 January to 31 October 2021 vs 2020 35.4 % 19.6 % 3.8 % 21.3 % 67.5 % Sterling 28.3 % 2021 vs 2019 19.8 % 14.9 % 41.2 % 41.6 % 21.8 % 27.1 % UK Distribution Selco performed strongly with average daily like - for - like growth of 7.1 per cent in the four months to October 2021 measured against a demanding growth rate of 10.8 per cent in the same period last year . The Selco trade - only , self - select , fixed price model was well placed to support increased spending by its customers on residential RMI projects . We recently opened our 71st Selco branch in Canning Town following the successful opening of a branch in Liverpool earlier this year .