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This announcement contains inside information 3 December 2021 Wickes Group plc - Trading Update Resilient trading and strong margin performance , FY2021 profit guidance raised Wickes Group plc , the home improvement retailer , today provides a trading update and raises FY2021 adjusted PBT * guidance to no less than £ 83m . Wickes has continued to perform well in the fourth quarter to date , benefitting from our balanced business model , with sales in line with expectations . Delivered sales in Do It For Me ( DIFM ) are strengthening as we work through an elevated order pipeline . Additionally , we continue to expect a higher carry over order book in DIFM , supported by continued strong sales which will benefit the first half of FY2022 . As expected , Core sales are lower year - on - year against tough comparatives , remaining materially ahead on a two - year basis driven by a further strong performance from local trade underpinned by our digital TradePro loyalty scheme . Our agile business model and strong supplier relationships have resulted in a better than expected margin performance . We have been able to mitigate the pressures resulting from rising inflation and freight costs , while continuing to deliver excellent value for customers . As a result our revised FY2021 underlying PBT guidance is now no less than £ 83m , ahead of prior guidance and consensus expectations ** . Whilst the recent changes to UK Government Covid - related guidance are unlikely to have a material impact on performance over the balance of the year , the trading environment continues to remain uncertain and we will monitor the situation closely . David Wood , CEO of Wickes commented : “ This has been a period of further progress for Wickes , where our focus on value , stock availability and exceptional service have underpinned our customer offer . Our forward planning and early strategic decisions have resulted in an improved profit performance , and we continue to navigate inflationary pressures and raw material constraints well . Clearly , this remains a time of uncertainty , however our differentiated business model leaves us well - placed to continue to outperform within a large and growing home improvement market . " Wickes Investor Relations Andy Hughes +44 ( 0 ) 776 736 5360 investorrelations@wickes.co.uk Headland +44 ( 0 ) 0203 805 4822 PR Adviser to Wickes Lucy Legh , Will Smith , Charlie Twigg wickes@headlandconsultancy.com * Adjusted PBT represents profit before tax on an IFRS basis and excludes adjusting items which will comprise demerger costs and IT separation costs for 2021 About Wickes ** Prior guidance from the interim results , and repeated at the Q3 stage , was " underlying PBT towards the upper end of a £ 67-75m range " . Current analyst consensus is £ 74-75m Wickes is a digitally - led , service - enabled home improvement retailer , delivering choice , convenience , value and best - in - class service to customers across the United Kingdom , making it well placed to outperform its growing markets . In response to gradual structural shifts in its markets over recent years , Wickes has a balanced business focusing on three key customer journeys - Local Trade , DIY ( together " Core " ) and Do It For Me ( " DIFM " ) . Wickes operates from its network of 232 right - sized stores , which support nationwide fulfilment from convenient locations throughout the United Kingdom , and through its digital channels including its website and TradePro mobile app for trade members . These digital channels allow customers to research and order an extended range of Wickes products and services , arrange virtual and in - person .