Results round-up

In the 52 weeks to 2 July, pre-tax profit rose to £128.9m from £121.4m in the 52 weeks to 27 June 2015, on revenue of £880.9m, up 7.1% from the year before.

The company recommended a final dividend of 19.1p per share compared to 16p in 2015 and giving a full-year dividend of 25.1p per share, up 16.7% from the prior year. In addition, the company paid a special dividend of 31.5p per share during the year.

Chief executive John Browett said: "The business has performed well over the year. Shoppers tell us that they genuinely appreciate the unrivalled depth and value of the Dunelm homewares offer. This has meant we have further cemented our leading position through market share gains, driving sales and profits growth, and increasing returns to shareholders.”

Dunelm said it opened six new superstores in the year and this will be ramped up in the current year, with nine planned openings, three of which are in London.

In addition, the group said it has reduced hours worked on certain tasks in the business, partly to mitigate the cost of introducing the National Living Wage.

Galliford Try proposed a bumper final dividend after it reported a record annual profit thanks to strong growth and a positive outlook at its housebuilding, affordable housing partnerships and construction arms.

On revenue up 10% to £2.67bn in the year to 30 June, profit before tax was increased 18% to £135.0m, with earnings per share up 17% to 132.5p.

The final dividend was hoisted 22% to 56p to lift the total 21% to 82p per share.

Chief executive Peter Truscott said the payout reflected the record results and the board's confidence in the business, having reorganised the management in all three businesses during the year to create "the right platform for future progress in both volume and margin".

In completing 3,078 sales and seeing average selling prices rise 2%, housebuilding arm Linden Homes increased revenues 8% to £841m and its margins significantly to 17.5% from 16% last year to record a £147.2m profit.

With housing demand strong and supply short, management decided due to the potential for further margin enhancement, to increase their focus on strategic land but in light of the current economic uncertainty said they were continuing to take "a more cautious approach to land acquisition".

The newly merged team forming what is now the Partnerships & Regeneration arm saw revenue drop 9% to £300.6m but profits increased 24% to £11.7m as margins were improved.

"Building on our experience and relationships with public sector commissioners, the prospects for our Partnerships business are considered to be excellent, with significant unmet demand for low-cost, intermediate and rented affordable homes," Truscott said, pointing to further geographic expansion and increasing mixed-tenure revenues as growth drivers for the top line and margins.

The construction division swelled revenues 16% to £1.5bn but margins were squeezed to 1.1% from 1.2% the year before, though Truscott said the market "remains positive, helped by the substantial infrastructure maintenance and improvement required in the UK".