Kingfisher hails performance of B&Q and Screwfix as it upgrades profits

For the six months ended July 31, 2025, Kingfisher reported a 4.1% increase in statutory pre-tax profits to £338m and a 1.3% jump in group sales to more than £6.8bn.

On a constant currency basis, gross profits jumped 3.6% to exceed £2.5bn, while operating profits grew 2.1% to £383m for the period.

Both B&Q and Screwfix were noted for their “strong UK performances”, with like-for-like sales growth of 4.4% and 3% respectively, alongside “improving sequential trends in France and Poland”.

The home and DIY giant also noted underlying like-for-like sales growth across the group of 1.9% and said it grew market share in the period across the UK, France and Spain, while its Polish business was “broadly in line with the market”.

Kingfisher said that its trade and ecommerce businesses grew 11.9% and 11.1%, respectively, while retail profit margins grew by 40 basis points to 6.6%.

As a result of its strong trading period across the group, Kingfisher has upgraded its full-year profit guidance and is now targeting the “upper end” of full-year adjusted profit before tax of between c.£480m to £540m and free cash flow of between c.£480m and £520m.

Chief executive officer Thierry Garnier said: “We delivered a strong first half with high quality underlying like-for-like sales growth of 1.9%, driven by increased volumes and transactions. Our teams continue to execute at a high level, delivering double-digit growth in our strategic initiatives, trade and e-commerce, which supported our market share gains. We were encouraged by underlying quarter-on-quarter growth in our core categories, and a third consecutive quarter of growth in big ticket sales.

“In a higher cost environment, we remain disciplined on managing costs and cash. Our margin and operating cost initiatives combined with the positive impact of our strategic drivers enabled us to deliver 10.2% growth in adjusted PBT and 16.5% growth in adjusted EPS. Free cash flow rose by 13.5%.

“Our expectations for our markets for the year remain consistent with what we outlined in March, whilst mindful of mixed consumer sentiment and political uncertainty. Combined with our H1 performance, this gives us the confidence to upgrade our full year profit and free cash flow guidance and to accelerate our share buyback programme. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, maintaining cost discipline and driving shareholder returns.”