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Top 100 Construction Companies 2013
Nick Hood of Company Watch analyses the figures to see who’s up, who’s down and how the UK’s top contractors are faring.
This year’s Top 100 Construction Companies reveals a distinctly mixed picture of falling margins, widespread stagnation and some sad failures. Once again, the total turnover of this premier league of contractors has hardly moved, rising just 1.1% since 2012. More worryingly, their profitability has fallen sharply, with total profits falling by a third from £1.2bn to only £791m, reflecting increasing concerns about margins squeezed by low bidding and excessive competition encouraged by clients.This As a result, profit margins have also fallen by a third in the past year from a marginal 1.97% last time to a seriously miserly 1.29% in the latest figures. These companies are deploying total assets of £36bn and have a combined net worth of £9.2bn, so they have a rate of return of just 2.17% on assets and only 8.62% on capital employed. Given that these are supposedly the most efficient operators in the sector, with the greatest bargaining power on bidding prices and input costs, there must be some serious doubts about the validity of the UK construction industry business model, most especially for those further down the food chain.
The best profit margins are enjoyed by a top five of Stepnell (10.7%), Dawnus (9.7%), Bechtel (9.1%), Amey (7.9%) and Interserve (7.7%). The pressure on profitability is confirmed by the fact that only 35 of the companies have improved their margins, while 64 have seen them worsen. If this trend continues into 2014, there are bound to be further casualties as lenders and other creditors look more closely at their ongoing commitment to such a marginal sector. And there will be more consolidation, though this is more likely to be as the more secure large players pick off smaller competitors than through mergers between major contractors. Read more.
Rank by turnover | Rank by profit | Company | Latest turnover (£m) | Previous turnover (£m) | Latest pre-tax profit (£m) | Previous pre-tax profit (£m) | Latest margin (%) | Previous margin (%) | 2012 Rank by turnover | 2012 Rank by profit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | Balfour Beatty | 10,896 | 11,035 | 75 | 246 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 |
2 | 2 | °ä²¹°ù¾±±ô±ô¾±´Ç²ÔÌý | 4,402.80 | 5,051.20 | 179.5 | 142.8 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2 | 2 |
3 | 4 | Kier Group (Inc. May Gurney) | 2,725.80 | 2,694.40 | 82.3 | 91.3 | 3 | 3.4 | 3 | 4 |
4 | 1 | Interserve | 2,369.60 | 2,319.60 | 182.9 | 67.1 | 7.7 | 2.9 | 4 | 6 |
5 | 7 | Mitie | 2,120.50 | 2,002.50 | 58.8 | 94.5 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 5 | 3 |
6 | 10 | Morgan Sindall | 2,047.10 | 2,226.60 | 34.2 | 40 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 6 | 11 |
7 | 11 | BAM Construction/Nuttall | 1,647.30 | 1,754.60 | 32 | 25.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 7 | 16 |
8 | 13 | Laing O’Rourke | 1,622.40 | 1,746.30 | 27.4 | 28.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 8 | 15 |
9 | 6 | Galliford Try | 1,504.10 | 1,284.20 | 63.1 | 41.7 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 9 | 9 |
10 | 8 | Keller | 1,317.50 | 1,154.30 | 43.5 | 21.9 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 11 | 20 |
11 | 59 | ISG | 1,281.50 | 1,195.60 | 3 | 9 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 10 | 32 |
12 | 16 | Wates | 1,193.60 | 1,033.90 | 25.7 | 40.1 | 2.2 | 3.9 | 18 | 10 |
13 | 3 | Amey UK | 1,146 | 1,093.60 | 90 | 84.3 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 14 | 5 |
14 | 98 | Enterprise | 1,125.40 | 1,086.90 | -44.6 | -135.2 | -4 | -12.4 | 15 | 100 |
15 | 26 | Vinci UK | 1,106.70 | 1,112.70 | 15.3 | 19.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 13 | 24 |
16 | 9 | Skanska | 1,092.30 | 1,117 | 43.4 | 44.9 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 7 |
17 | 30 | Willmott Dixon | 1,034 | 1,052.10 | 8.9 | 12.9 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 16 | 27 |
18 | 20 | Bouygues & Subsidiaries | 1,017.80 | 1,037.80 | 20.9 | 37.2 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 17 | 12 |
19 | 18 | Mace | 950.5 | 874.3 | 22.8 | 20.5 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 20 | 22 |
20 | 15 | Costain | 934.5 | 986.3 | 26.1 | 23.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 19 | 17 |
21 | 22 | Sir Robert McAlpine | 769.3 | 845.4 | 20.5 | 20.1 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 21 | 23 |
22 | 21 | Mears | 679.5 | 589 | 20.8 | 20.6 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 26 | 21 |
23 | 100 | Lakeside 1 (Keepmoat) | 676.1 | 677.1 | -472.6 | -86 | -69.9 | -12.7 | 23 | 98 |
24 | 19 | Bowmer & Kirkland | 674.9 | 707.5 | 21.5 | 44.6 | 3.2 | 6.3 | 22 | 8 |
25 | 12 | Shepherd | 671.6 | 611 | 27.6 | 31.5 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 24 | 13 |
26 | 28 | VolkerWessels UK | 666.2 | 557 | 12.2 | -1.5 | 1.8 | -0.3 | 28 | 86 |
27 | 40 | Miller | 619.9 | 587.6 | 6.6 | -92.8 | 1.1 | -15.8 | 27 | 99 |
28 | 90 | Morrison Utility Services | 548.3 | 498.7 | -2.2 | -5.1 | -0.4 | -1 | 29 | 95 |
29 | 23 | Lend Lease | 545.3 | 605.1 | 20.4 | 13.5 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 25 | 26 |
30 | 24 | Imtech | 514.6 | 340.7 | 18.4 | 7.4 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 35 | 39 |
31 | 14 | J Murphy | 495.6 | 400.8 | 26.4 | 23.5 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 32 | 18 |
32 | 37 | NG Bailey | 458.6 | 419.2 | 7.2 | -4.2 | 1.6 | -1 | 31 | 92 |
33 | 17 | SSE Contracting | 457.9 | 469.2 | 25 | 30.1 | 5.5 | 6.4 | 30 | 14 |
34 | 42 | Mclaren | 376.4 | 266.6 | 6.1 | 7 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 43 | 41 |
35 | 39 | Emcor | 339.9 | 330.2 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 2 | 2.1 | 36 | 44 |
36 | 34 | Renew Holdings | 337.4 | 356.7 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 34 | 67 |
37 | 70 | Sisk | 293.9 | 373.6 | 1.4 | -4.5 | 0.5 | -1.2 | 33 | 94 |
38 | 99 | Enserve (Spice) | 287.6 | 300.7 | -78.4 | -3.1 | -27.3 | -1 | 38 | 89 |
39 | 32 | Northstone NI | 285.6 | 239 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 3 | 3.9 | 46 | 29 |
40 | 44 | ³§±ð»å»å´Ç²ÔÌý | 283.2 | 268.5 | 5.4 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 41 | 34 |
41 | 74 | Geoffrey Osborne | 280.7 | 287 | 1 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 39 | 58 |
42 | 89 | Robertson Group | 269.3 | 232 | -1 | -3.3 | -0.4 | -1.4 | 48 | 91 |
43 | 56 | Byrne Group | 267.5 | 232.2 | 3.8 | 8.8 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 47 | 33 |
44 | 49 | John Graham | 264.2 | 216.6 | 4.7 | 4 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 51 | 55 |
45 | 97 | Spie Matthew Hall | 263.8 | 311.8 | -23 | -4.4 | -8.7 | -1.4 | 37 | 93 |
46 | 96 | Severfield-Rowen | 256.6 | 267.8 | -21.7 | 8.3 | -8.5 | 3.1 | 42 | 36 |
47 | 60 | Clancy | 250.7 | 205.3 | 2.9 | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 56 | 68 |
48 | 46 | RG Carter | 249.2 | 252.9 | 5.1 | 9.1 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 45 | 31 |
49 | 58 | ´¡°ù»å³¾´Ç°ù±ðÌý | 240.6 | 286.1 | 3.1 | -6.3 | 1.3 | -2.2 | 40 | 96 |
50 | 29 | Integral UKÂ | 239.7 | 198.9 | 9.1 | 6.4 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 58 | 46 |
51 | 35 | Brookfield Multiplex | 222.3 | 199.6 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 57 | 45 |
52 | 65 | RGCM | 214.8 | 219.3 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 50 | 62 |
53 | 38 | Lorne Stewart | 212.2 | 162 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 70 | 37 |
54 | 57 | GSH Group | 206 | 208.8 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 55 | 43 |
55 | 75 | Longcross | 205.9 | 263.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 44 | 74 |
56 | 64 | ±á¾±²µ²µ¾±²Ô²õÌý | 203 | 185.5 | 2.4 | 3 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 60 | 61 |
57 | 50 | Carey Group | 198.1 | 165.6 | 4.7 | 7.8 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 69 | 38 |
58 | 47 | Malcolm Group | 197.2 | 172 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 64 | 52 |
59 | 95 | United House | 196.9 | 229.9 | -10.9 | 5.8 | -5.5 | 2.5 | 49 | 50 |
60 | 61 | Teighmore | 194.3 | 210.6 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 54 | 60 |
61 | 73 | T Clarke | 193.8 | 183.8 | 1.2 | 4.9 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 61 | 51 |
62 | 68 | µþ³Ü³¦°ì¾±²Ô²µ³ó²¹³¾Ìý | 182.4 | 167.4 | 1.5 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 67 | 54 |
63 | 52 | Eric Wright Group | 182.1 | 148.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 75 | 56 |
64 | 93 | SGN Contracting | 180.7 | 174.2 | -5.8 | -1 | -3.2 | -0.6 | 63 | 85 |
65 | 72 | Midas | 180.5 | 211.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 52 | 76 |
66 | 82 | City Building (Glasgow) | 178.6 | 158.9 | 0.3 | 22.5 | 0.2 | 14.2 | 71 | 19 |
67 | 25 | Dawnus | 178 | 136.6 | 17.3 | 12.3 | 9.7 | 90 | 79 | 28 |
68 | 94 | William Hare | 177.2 | 182.2 | -6.8 | 1.5 | -3.9 | 0.8 | 62 | 73 |
69 | 51 | McNicholas Construction | 176.7 | 154.6 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 73 | 80 |
70 | 81 | ESH Holdings | 170.2 | 168.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 66 | 78 |
71 | 77 | North Midland Construction | 168.9 | 167.2 | 0.7 | -0.8 | 0.4 | -0.5 | 68 | 84 |
72 | 62 | Ogilvie Group | 168.8 | 171.8 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 65 | 66 |
73 | 69 | µþ²¹°ù°ùÌý | 164.3 | 210.9 | 1.5 | -3.1 | 0.9 | -1.5 | 53 | 90 |
74 | 36 | Forth Holdings | 163.2 | 151.9 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 74 | 40 |
75 | 27 | Bechtel | 162.4 | 143.7 | 14.8 | 19.8 | 98 | 13.7 | 76 | 25 |
76 | 87 | GB Building Solutions | 155.6 | 130.1 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 82 | 81 |
77 | 54 | Winvic Group | 154.1 | 80.1 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 90 | 72 |
78 | 48 | Lakehouse Contracts | 153.7 | 106.7 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 85 | 64 |
79 | 71 | Bullock Construction | 151.9 | 158.7 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 72 | 57 |
80 | 55 | McLaughlin & Harvey | 150.6 | 197.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 59 | 53 |
81 | 92 | Brett Group | 150.5 | 139.4 | -4.8 | -2.4 | -3.2 | -1.7 | 77 | 87 |
82 | 33 | Mulalley | 135.2 | 134 | 8.5 | 9.1 | 6.3 | 6.8 | 81 | 30 |
83 | 91 | Mabey | 129.9 | 127.7 | -2.8 | 8.6 | -2.1 | 6.8 | 83 | 35 |
84 | 76 | Lagan | 127.8 | 97.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 87 | 79 |
85 | 83 | Headcrown | 120.5 | 134.2 | 0.1 | -9.9 | 0.1 | -7.4 | 80 | 97 |
86 | 41 | Thomas Armstrong | 116.2 | 116.2 | 6.5 | 7 | 5.6 | 63 | 84 | 42 |
87 | 86 | Tolent | 109.8 | 105 | -0.2 | -2.8 | -0.2 | -2.7 | 86 | 88 |
88 | 88 | GF Tomlinson | 108.4 | 137.5 | -0.5 | 1.9 | -0.4 | 1.4 | 78 | 70 |
89 | 66 | Simpson (York) | 93.3 | 73.5 | 2.2 | 2 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 94 | 69 |
90 | 53 | Pyeroy Group | 88.9 | 73.9 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 5 | 3.9 | 93 | 63 |
91 | 78 | M.V. Kelly Limited | 87.6 | 78.6 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 91 | 59 |
92 | 43 | ²Ñ²¹²õ³Ù±ð°ù²õ´Ç²ÔÌý | 87 | 91.2 | 6 | 6.3 | 6.8 | 7 | 88 | 48 |
93 | 67 | Trant Holdings | 83.8 | 65.4 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 20 | 2.9 | 96 | 71 |
94 | 45 | R.J. Mcleod | 83.3 | 65.8 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 9.5 | 95 | 49 |
95 | 63 | ³¢¾±²Ô»å³Ü³¾Ìý | 83 | 84.9 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3 | 3.3 | 89 | 65 |
96 | 31 | ³§³Ù±ð±è²Ô±ð±ô±ôÌý | 82 | 76.4 | 8.8 | 6.4 | 10.7 | 8.4 | 92 | 47 |
97 | 85 | City Building (Contracts) | 74.6 | 57.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 97 | 83 |
98 | 84 | Speller Metcalfe | 71.6 | 53.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 99 | 82 |
99 | 80 | Base Build | 65.3 | 35.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 100 | 77 |
100 | 79 | Barnes Group | 63.7 | 53.6 | 0.6 | 1 | 1 | 1.9 | 98 | 75 |
Totals | 61,505.80 | 60,816.40 | 790.8 | 1,197.20 | 1.3 (Average) | 2 (Average |
Strongest Financial Health Ratings
Latest Health Score (MAX 100) |
Previous Health Score (MAX 100) |
Company |
Latest Turnover (£M) | Latest Pre-Tax Profit (£M) | Latest Margin | Net Worth (£M) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
93 |
88 |
Stepnell |
82 | 8.8 | 10.70% | 37 |
91 |
89 |
Thomas Armstrong |
116.2 | 6.5 | 5.60% | 92 |
85 |
85 |
SSE Contracting |
457.9 | 25 | 5.50% | 95 |
82 |
86 |
J Murphy |
495.6 | 26.4 | 5.30% | 187 |
82 |
77 |
Mulalley |
135.2 | 8.5 | 6.30% | 53 |
79 |
82 |
Bechtel |
162.4 | 14.8 | 9.10% | 54 |
79 |
84 |
R.J. Mcleod |
83.3 | 5.1 | 6.10% | 28 |
77 |
80 |
Shepherd |
671.6 | 27.6 | 4.10% | 231 |
75 |
81 |
Seddon |
283.2 | 5.4 | 1.90% | 93 |
75 |
68 |
Dawnus |
178 | 17.3 | 9.70% | 25 |
Weakest Financial Health Ratings
Latest Health Score (Max 100) |
Previous Health Score (Max 100)Â |
°ä´Ç³¾±è²¹²Ô²âÌý |
Latest Turnover (£M) | Latest Pre-Tax Profit (£M) | Latest Margin | NET Worth (£M) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 |
14 |
Enterprise |
1,125.40 | -44.6 | -4% | 91 |
16 |
14 |
Galliford Try |
1,504.10 | 63.1 | 4.20% | 478 |
15 |
10 |
Renew Holdings |
337.4 | 8.4 | 2.50% | 9 |
15 |
39 |
Spie Matthew Hall |
263.8 | -23 | -8.70% | 80 |
14 |
54 |
City Building (Glasgow) |
178.6 | 0.3 | 0.20% | -53 |
12 |
53 |
Severfield-Rowen |
196.9 | -10.9 | -5.50% | 107 |
11 |
22 |
United House |
256.6 | -21.7 | -8.50% | 107 |
7 |
32 |
Enserve (Spice) |
287.6 | -78.4 | -27.30% | 34 |
5 |
10 |
SGN Contracting |
180.7 | -5.8 | -3.20% | 3 |
2 |
5 |
Lakeside 1 (Keepmoat) |
676.1 | -472.6 | -69.90% | -319 |
Key:
Up from 2012
Down from 2012
No change from 2012