Taylor Wimpey: Higher demand buoys sales as firm preps for planning reform November 7, 2024 After a tough start to the year, Taylor Wimpey has reported signs of improving customer demand as mortgage rates fall and affordability pressures ease. The housebuilder said it remained on track to deliver UK volumes in line with previous guidance of 9,500 to 10,000 homes and operating profit consistent with current market expectations. In the [...]
On housing, the government’s numbers just don’t add up October 29, 2024 Developers can only build at the rate they can sell, and this is intrinsically linked to mortgage financing. Long-term, fixed-rate mortgages above the 4.5 times income threshold can be part of the solution, says Arjan Verbeek The United Kingdom’s housing market is at a critical juncture. The government has pledged to deliver 300,000 new homes [...]
Can the government tax its way to a building boom? October 26, 2024 Labour have big plans for house building and infrastructure so what can we expect on property taxes in the Budget? Tim Sarson has the answers Cut through the post-election chatter about black holes and freebies and there is one theme that keeps coming up as a top political priority. Building things. I can’t remember a [...]
Barratt Redrow: Builder outlines growth plans after merger October 23, 2024 Barratt Redrow outlined its growth plans today in its first trading update as a combined group. Created by the merger of homebuilders Barrett and Redrow, the combined group has laid out plans to build 22,000 homes a year in the medium term. That would make it one of the UK’s largest house builders. In its [...]
Caterpillar: Price rises help profit pass £100m at UK arm September 20, 2024 Profit at the UK arm of Caterpillar has jumped past £100m after its international sales surged during its latest financial year. The Leicestershire-headquartered division has posted a pre-tax profit of £102.2m for 2023, up from the £74.4m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show that its turnover rose from £1.33bn to [...]
Triple Point: Social housing firm bets on Labour boost September 13, 2024 A listed social housing investor said the industry is set for a boost under the Labour government today as ministers prepare to tear up planning laws and kick off a housebuilding drive. Triple Point, which invests in supported accommodation, said in its half-year results that it is expecting a period of “greater political stability” that is [...]
Michelmersh: Profit sags at brick maker but order book hits multi-year high ahead of building boom September 3, 2024 Brick maker Michelmersh reported a decline in operating profit during the first half of 2024 as economic uncertainty and high interest rates hit housebuilding. Michelmersh’s operating profit fell to just £4.1m in the first half of the year, down 32.8 per cent from the first six months of 2023, the group disclosed in its half-year [...]
Green light finally expected for £2.5bn Barratt and Redrow mega-merger August 28, 2024 The £2.5bn mega-merger of housebuilders Barratt and Redrow looks set to be finally given approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The watchdog launched an investigation into the proposed deal in June after it was first announced in February. Now, the watchdog has said it considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that [...]
Barratt’s £2.5bn merger with Redrow now hinges on sale of 10 houses August 8, 2024 A £2.5bn merger between housebuilders Barratt and rival Redrow now hinges on the sale of 10 houses after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the deal could create local competition issues. In a ruling issued this morning the watchdog said the deal, announced in March 2024, could lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” [...]
Ibstock profit slashed as ‘exceptionally wet weather’ hits construction industry August 7, 2024 Sales and profit at building supplies company Ibstock has continued to fall as “exceptionally wet weather” badly affected the construction industry. The London-listed firm, which is headquartered in Leicestershire, saw its revenue drop 20 per cent to £178m in the first six months of 2024, down from £223m last year. Ibstock said this decrease was [...]