Wickes makes strong start to year
Wickes has said it made a strong start to 2025 with group revenue up 6.9% to £533.1 million in the 17 weeks to 26 April.
Retail sales increased by 9.6% to £396.7 million after particularly strong performances in the building, garden and decorating categories.
In design & installation, revenue improved to broadly flat year-on-year following actions taken during 2024 to improve the customer offer and experience.
Meanwhile, sales through the group’s TradePro loyalty scheme for trade professionals rose by 13% in the period.
David Wood, chief executive of Wickes, said: “This has been a strong start to the new financial year, with the further increase in sales driven exclusively by volume growth, as more customers shop with us.
“Within retail, we have gone from strength to strength. We have taken further market share and seen a very good market outperformance in timber, hardware, decor and garden.
“In design & installation, we are benefitting from the actions taken to enhance the Wickes offer. This is a segment demonstrating real momentum, with a second quarter in a row of ordered sales growth.”
Never Miss a Retail Update!Wickes said it is currently working to convert four former Homebase sites as part of plans to open five to seven new stores in 2025. It will also be increasing investment in technology as it looks to enhance the customer experience and support productivity initiatives.
Wood added: “While we continue to be mindful of consumer sentiment and a challenging external environment, we have a strong platform in place and we are well set to continue delivering against our strategy.”
