Wickes Group has reported a period of volume-led growth in its half-year results to 27 June 2026, with group revenue up 2.1% to £865.3m, and told investors that trading in the current third quarter has "shown a significantly improved trend," with Retail like-for-like sales stepping up to mid-single-digit growth. For BHETA members supplying DIY, garden, home improvement, kitchen, bathroom and small electrical categories into Wickes, this signals of a firming, rather than fading, end market matter more than the headline H1 figures themselves.
Group revenue growth was split between Retail (products bought by DIY and trade customers, up 0.8% to £639.8m) and Design & Installation, or D&I (kitchens, bathrooms and solar, up 5.7% to £225.5m). Adjusted profit before tax rose 1.1% to £27.6m, with productivity savings partially offsetting continued inflation in people costs and fuel.
Volume up, prices down
Retail growth was driven entirely by volume and mix (+2.1%), which more than offset 2.4% price deflation across the half. Like-for-like Retail sales were down 0.3% overall, reflecting a weak, wet Q1 (-1.7%) followed by a Q2 recovery (+0.7%). Wickes said DIY sales were "broadly flat" while TradePro (its trade loyalty scheme) sales rose 5%, with active members up from 615,000 to 671,000 year-on-year.
Category winners
Wickes reported continued market share gains in Retail, with particular strength in decorative ranges — now at an "all-time high" following a full store reset — plus gains in gardening (notably soil & compost, power tools and garden buildings) and timber, following 2025 range reviews in mouldings, cladding, stair parts and acoustic panels. These are useful pointers for BHETA members in those categories on where retailer buying focus is concentrated.
Design & Installation mixed by product
D&I delivered its fifth consecutive quarter of sales growth, with kitchen and bathroom volumes up 3%. However, the mix has shifted: Wickes Bespoke Bathrooms performed particularly well (helped by the Bayswater collection), while orders for higher-value Bespoke Kitchens were in "slight decline" as customers are "being more considered for larger purchases" — a signal of continued caution on big-ticket discretionary spend even as smaller projects hold up.
Stores and investment
Wickes carried out eight refits/refreshes in H1 and plans 4-5 new stores in H2, all as part of an increased ambition to grow the estate to 300 stores (up from a previous target of 250). The group said smaller-footprint stores (15,000-20,000 sq ft) can carry substantially the same range and generate comparable EBITDA to its 27,000 sq ft average format, opening up new potential locations. Store capex is expected to rise by around £20m per year over the medium term as rollout accelerates from 2028.
Overview
Management said it remains on track to meet consensus expectations of around 10% adjusted PBT growth for the full year, helped in H2 by lower business rates and further productivity gains, while cautioning that "the consumer environment remains uncertain." Wickes' own August 2026 consumer survey found planned kitchen and bathroom spend "stable... whilst still below historical norms," alongside healthy trade pipelines, with around 30% of tradespeople reporting over 12 months of forward work.
What does this tell suppliers?
- Demand appears to be improving, not just stabilising. The step-up to mid-single-digit Retail like-for-like growth in Q3, following a soft H1, is the clearest signal in this update that underlying DIY and trade demand is strengthening into the second half.
- Price deflation is ongoing. With 2.4% deflation in Retail in H1, retailers are still passing through lower prices in a number of categories even as volumes recover — a margin consideration for suppliers pricing into the category.
- Big-ticket discretionary spend remains more cautious than smaller projects. Bespoke kitchen orders softening while bathrooms, decor and garden all grow suggests consumers are still trading down on the size and cost of individual projects, even where overall project interest is healthy.
- Store growth and refit activity is accelerating, with a higher store target (300) and rising capex, meaning more selling space and refreshed ranging opportunities across decor, garden, timber and kitchens/bathrooms over the coming years.
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