April Merchants’ Sales Up Year-on-Year

BUILDERS’ MERCHANTS’ total value sales in April were up +3.0% compared to the previous year. Volumes increased +3.4% year-on-year, while prices eased -0.3%.

This is according to the latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report.

With one less trading day in the most recent period, like-for-like value sales – which take trading day differences into account – were up +8.2%.

April Sales Up Year-on-Year

Seven of the 12 categories sold more compared to April last year, with seasonal category Landscaping (+13.3%) well ahead of the rest.

Workwear & Safetywear (+8.7%), Miscellaneous (+5.3%) and Heavy Building Materials (+3.7%) performed well. Timber & Joinery Products (+1.7%) also sold more but less than Total Merchants. The weakest categories were Decorating (-3.3%) and Plumbing Heating & Electrical (-3.9%).

Value sales in April were +0.9% above the previous month’s sales. Month-on-month, volume sales were flat at -0.2%, and prices increased +1.0%.

Just four categories sold more compared to March, with Landscaping (+15.6%) and Workwear & Safetywear (+6.0%) ahead the most. The two largest categories – Timber & Joinery Products (+0.7%) and Heavy Building Materials (+0.1%) – sold more but underperformed compared to Total Merchants.

With one less trading day in April, like-for-like value sales were +5.9% up.

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