Grafton revenue up 8% to €2.3bn

Improvements in general economic conditions and consumer sentiment boosted performance at building materials and DIY specialist, Grafton Group last year, with overall revenues rising 8% to £1.9bn (€2.3bn).

The Dublin-headquartered group, which switched its share listing from the Iseq to London last year, said improved activity, particularly in the second half of 2013, provided evidence that the recovery in its chief markets “has started to take hold”.

“There are encouraging signs that the relatively recent recovery under way in our principal markets appears to have more substantive foundations,” said group chief executive, Gavin Slark. “Grafton is well-placed to benefit from a sustained improvement in trading conditions, but we are adopting a cautious stance towards our prospects for 2014 until such time that activity levels in our principal markets have strengthened further.”