For the year to 31st July 2016 Bellway generated revenue of 拢2.2bn (2015: 拢1.73bn). Housing completions were up 12.5% to 8,721 (2015: 7,752), with the average selling price up 13% to 拢252,700.
When full results are published in October, we can expect to see operating profit topping 拢480m, the board indicated today in a trading update. This excludes an extra 拢17.3m exceptional profit arising on the disposal of Bellway's interest in Barking Riverside.
Chief executive Ted Ayres said: 鈥淭he group has delivered an outstanding trading performance, achieving new records for Bellway in respect of both volume and operating margin.聽 We have invested in high quality land and have maintained a significant forward order book, thereby ensuring that the group is well placed to continue its sizeable contribution to meeting the UK鈥檚 requirement for new homes in the year ahead.聽 It is still too early to assess the effect of the EU referendum result, however trading in recent weeks has been encouraging and Bellway, with its strong balance sheet and robust land bank, can be flexible and respond opportunistically to any changes in market conditions.鈥�
Only at the most expensive London developments have some customers shown post-Brexit anxiety and this is not a big market for Bellway. Overall, visitor numbers are still strong and the cancellation rate remains at a historic low, the company said.
On 1st August Bellway opened a 19th trading division in Durham.
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