Construction Market Data

Tue March 19 2024

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Top 100 Construction Companies 2019

Workloads among the Top 100 UK contractors continue to edge upwards, but at a slower rate and with diminishing profit margins. Life is definitely getting tougher for construction firms in the UK, and next month’s impending Brexit deadline doesn’t make it any easier. Steve Menary reports. [n.b. this article was written before Kier filed a pre-tax loss of £245m for the past year and data is correct as of August 2019.]

At a glance our latest Top 100 suggests an industry in fine fettle. Overall orders and profits at the leading contractors are up on a year ago, but a closer look shows a sector under stress.

Total turnover at the Top 100 this time was £72bn, which is 4% higher than last year at the same companies. The industry’s 10 biggest contractors generated revenue of £33.1bn, which, at 46% of total revenue for the Top 100, is the same as a year ago.

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Latest Rank By Turnover Latest Rank By Profit Company Reporting Period Latest Turnover (£m) Previous Turnover (£m) Change (%) Latest Pre-tax Profit (£m) Previous Pre-tax Profit (£m) Change (%) Latest Margin Previous Margin
1 1 Balfour Beatty Plc Dec-18 7,802.0 8,234.0 -5.2 181.0 165.0 9.7 2.3 2.0
2 4 Kier Group Plc Jun-18 4,512.8 4,282.3 5.4 106.2 -14.2 847.9 2.4 -0.3
3 99 Interserve Plc Dec-18 3,225.7 3,666.9 -12.0 -111.3 -244.4 54.5 -3.4 -6.7
4 2 Galliford Try Plc Jun-18 3,132.3 2,826.0 10.8 143.7 58.7 144.8 4.6 2.1
5 5 Morgan Sindall Group Plc Dec-18 2,971.5 2,792.7 6.4 80.6 64.9 24.2 2.7 2.3
6 100 Amey UK Plc Dec-18 2,667.8 2,581.3 3.4 -427.6 -189.8 125.2 -16.0 -7.4
7 75 Mace Ltd 1 Dec-18 2,350.0 2,036.9 15.4 3.3 2.3 42.5 1.4 1.1
8 18 ISG Plc Dec-18 2,237.6 1,708.8 30.9 27.4 9.1 201.1 1.2 0.5
9 46 Keller Group Plc Dec-18 2,224.5 2,070.6 7.4 8.4 110.6 -92.4 0.4 5.3
10 97 Laing O'Rourke Plc Mar-18 1,985.7 2,034.2 -2.4 -25.2 -80.8 -68.8 -1.3 -4.0
11 10 Skanska UK Plc Dec-18 1,935.4 1,802.7 7.4 44.1 13.5 226.7 2.3 0.7
12 13 Wates Group Ltd Dec-18 1,601.0 1,622.0 -1.3 34.4 32.9 4.7 2.2 2.0
13 11 Costain Group Plc Dec-18 1,489.3 1,728.9 -13.9 40.2 41.8 -3.8 2.7 2.4
14 12 Willmott Dixon Holdings Ltd Dec-18 1,323.2 1,269.5 4.2 35.5 33.5 6.0 2.7 2.6
15 26 Multiplex Construction Europe Ltd Dec-18 1,064.9 1,155.4 -7.8 18.0 4.2 326.3 1.7 0.4
16 92 M Group Services Ltd 2 Mar-18 1,027.8 416.7 146.6 -5.0 -0.2 -2645.1 -0.5 -43.7
17 3 Homeserve Plc Mar-19 1,003.6 899.7 11.5 139.5 123.3 13.1 13.9 13.7
18 16 VolkerWessels UK Ltd Dec-18 984.0 870.4 13.1 29.0 23.6 23.0 2.9 2.7
19 24 BAM Construct UK Ltd * Dec-18 949.8 953.0 -0.3 19.4 14.8 31.1 2.0 1.6
20 6 Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd Aug-18 937.6 928.3 1.0 54.5 64.4 -15.4 5.8 6.9
21 31 Vinci Plc Dec-18 873.3 870.7 0.3 13.8 22.4 -38.3 1.6 2.6
22 85 Newarthill Ltd (Sir Robert McAlpine) Dec-18 870.5 942.5 -7.6 0.7 -20.2 103.3 0.1 -2.1
23 17 Mears Group Plc Dec-18 869.8 900.2 -3.4 28.4 26.5 7.4 3.3 2.9
24 95 J Murphy & Sons Ltd 3 Dec-18 781.3 711.9 9.8 -5.8 12.4 -146.7 -0.7 1.7
25 38 Engie Regeneration Ltd Dec-18 758.8 665.8 14.0 10.8 -72.7 114.8 1.4 -10.9
26 15 Robertson Group (Holdings) Ltd Mar-18 752.4 565.4 33.1 30.8 26.1 17.8 4.1 4.6
27 20 BAM Nuttall Ltd Dec-18 749.9 668.8 12.1 26.3 7.8 237.4 3.5 1.2
28 47 John Graham Holdings Ltd Mar-19 735.0 767.6 -4.3 8.2 13.1 -37.6 1.1 1.7
29 8 Lendlease Europe Holdings Ltd Jun-18 676.5 800.4 -15.5 52.4 41.5 26.3 7.7 5.2
30 45 Bouygues (U.K.) Ltd Dec-17 597.0 555.6 7.4 8.6 -78.5 111.0 1.4 -14.1
31 73 McLaren Construction Group Plc Jul-18 585.6 600.3 -2.5 3.7 3.2 15.2 0.6 0.5
32 30 Renew Holdings Plc Sep-18 541.5 545.9 -0.8 14.7 19.8 -25.8 2.7 3.6
33 25 Carey Group Plc Mar-18 510.5 549.2 -7.1 18.7 19.1 -2.3 3.7 3.5
34 41 Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd 4 Dec-18 507.0 423.1 19.8 10.3 16.7 -38.5 2.0 3.9
35 32 Eurovia UK Ltd 5 Dec-18 501.4 486.2 3.1 13.2 22.2 -40.7 2.6 4.6
36 14 Winvic Group Ltd Jan-18 485.3 462.1 5.0 31.3 28.5 9.9 6.4 6.2
37 23 NG Bailey Group Ltd Mar-18 481.0 500.3 -3.9 19.6 18.6 5.4 4.1 3.7
38 28 Keltbray Group (Holdings) Ltd Oct-18 399.2 417.5 -4.4 17.8 23.4 -23.7 4.5 5.6
39 9 Henry Boot Plc Dec-18 397.1 408.5 -2.8 48.6 55.4 -12.3 12.2 13.6
40 29 McAleer & Rushe Contracts UK Ltd Dec-18 395.2 334.1 18.3 16.8 13.3 26.6 4.2 4.0
41 44 ESSCI Ltd 6 Dec-18 390.7 437.2 -10.6 9.0 -0.8 1291.0 2.3 -0.2
42 88 Northstone (NI) Ltd Dec-17 375.2 375.0 0.1 -0.2 4.3 -105.3 -0.1 1.2
43 7 Watkin Jones Plc Sep-18 363.1 301.9 20.3 54.3 43.3 25.4 15.0 14.3
44 98 Integral UK Ltd Dec-17 354.9 343.0 3.5 -28.3 11.8 -338.9 -8.0 3.4
45 62 NMCN Plc 7 Dec-18 341.7 302.8 12.9 6.0 9.1 -33.9 1.8 3.0
46 86 Higgins Group Plc Jul-18 332.2 290.6 14.3 0.6 6.6 -91.2 0.2 2.3
47 33 FM Conway Ltd Mar-18 329.1 290.2 13.4 12.2 23.5 -48.1 3.7 8.1
48 53 TClarke Plc Dec-18 326.8 311.2 5.0 7.8 7.1 9.9 2.4 2.3
49 77 John Sisk & Son Ltd Dec-18 323.2 188.5 71.5 3.2 0.4 645.3 1.0 0.2
Latest Rank By Turnover Latest Rank By Profit Company Reporting Period Latest Turnover (£m) Previous Turnover (£m) Change (%) Latest Pre-tax Profit (£m) Previous Pre-tax Profit (£m) Change (%) Latest Margin Previous Margin
50 48 Emcor Group Plc Dec-18 319.9 264.7 20.8 8.1 7.5 8.9 2.5 2.8
51 91 SSE Contracting Ltd Mar-18 317.9 330.0 -3.7 -4.6 -5.0 8.0 -1.4 -1.5
52 34 Geoffrey Osborne Ltd Mar-18 316.1 348.1 -9.2 11.4 3.6 217.6 3.6 1.0
53 19 OHOB Holdings Ltd Mar-19 300.3 306.8 -2.1 27.0 25.6 5.4 9.0 8.3
54 64 Kone Plc Dec-18 300.0 269.5 11.3 5.8 10.7 -45.7 1.9 4.0
55 96 Ferrovial Agroman (UK) Ltd Dec-18 295.7 332.6 -11.1 -13.5 -31.0 -56.6 -4.6 -9.3
56 21 Severfield Plc Mar-19 274.9 274.2 0.3 24.7 22.2 11.3 9.0 8.1
57 35 M.V. Kelly Ltd May-18 269.1 233.0 15.5 11.1 12.1 -8.5 4.1 5.2
58 90 The Clancy Group Plc Mar-18 268.3 267.5 0.3 -3.6 -2.0 -77.6 -1.3 -0.8
59 84 Midas Group Ltd Apr-18 267.4 213.6 25.2 0.7 1.6 -57.6 0.3 0.8
60 60 Forth Holdings Ltd Aug-18 260.0 204.6 27.1 6.6 12.3 -46.0 2.6 6.0
61 79 Ardmore Construction Ltd Sep-18 257.1 370.0 -30.5 2.2 15.5 44.3 8.7 4.2
62 27 FP McCann Group Ltd Dec-18 255.0 215.8 18.2 17.9 19.5 -8.1 7.0 9.0
63 80 RG Carter Holdings Ltd Dec-17 243.3 286.4 -15.1 2.2 8.2 -72.9 0.9 2.9
64 50 United Living Group Ltd Mar-18 240.1 180.7 32.9 8.0 6.4 26.1 3.4 3.5
65 58 Colas Ltd Dec-17 239.9 221.4 8.3 6.9 9.0 -23.4 2.9 4.1
66 65 Ogilvie Group Ltd Jun-18 237.6 274.4 -13.4 5.8 5.3 7.8 2.4 1.9
67 39 J Reddington Ltd Dec-17 236.8 160.1 47.9 10.6 6.1 73.7 4.5 3.8
68 59 McLaughlin & Harvey Ltd Dec-18 233.9 267.7 -12.6 6.7 4.1 62.5 2.9 1.5
69 55 SPIE Ltd Dec-18 229.0 241.8 -5.3 7.4 -2.8 126.5 3.2 -11.5
70 22 Rydon Group Ltd Sep-18 227.2 230.1 -1.3 20.8 9.2 124.7 9.1 4.0
71 93 Otis Ltd Nov-17 226.7 206.0 10.0 -5.4 15.8 -134.3 -2.4 7.7
72 37 Caddick Group Plc Aug-18 226.5 152.4 48.6 10.9 8.0 36.5 4.8 5.2
73 70 Briggs & Forrester (UK) Ltd Oct-18 222.4 181.7 22.4 5.0 4.1 20.1 2.2 2.3
74 87 Esh Holdings Ltd Dec-17 220.0 242.7 -9.4 0.4 3.8 -89.6 0.2 1.6
75 43 Cruden Holdings Ltd Mar-18 217.8 230.2 -5.4 9.0 10.5 -13.4 4.2 4.5
76 67 Seddon Group Ltd Dec-17 215.7 209.9 2.8 5.3 5.1 4.1 2.5 2.4
77 42 Henry Construction Projects Ltd Jun-18 208.3 111.2 87.4 9.4 4.3 116.8 4.5 3.9
78 76 William Hare Group Ltd Dec-17 204.4 217.8 -6.1 3.2 2.4 33.5 1.6 1.1
79 74 RGCM Ltd Dec-17 196.1 147.4 33.1 3.6 1.4 -74.2 0.2 1.0
80 82 Sureserve Group Plc * Sep-18 190.8 181.5 5.1 1.9 -5.6 134.9 1.0 -3.1
81 81 SDC (Holdings) Ltd Sep-18 186.8 164.8 13.3 2.1 1.9 11.6 1.1 1.1
82 69 BW Interiors Ltd Dec-18 180.5 151.0 19.6 5.2 4.1 27.4 2.9 2.7
83 78 Barhale Ltd Jun-18 179.4 121.7 47.4 2.5 2.1 19.5 1.4 1.7
84 54 Gilbert-Ash Ltd Dec-18 179.4 165.5 8.4 7.7 2.1 260.6 4.3 1.3
85 89 Clugston Group Ltd Jan-18 175.4 118.2 48.4 -0.5 1.0 -145.1 -0.3 0.9
86 57 Michael Lonsdale Ltd Sep-18 175.1 216.8 -19.2 7.1 6.8 3.9 4.0 3.1
87 51 Durkan Holdings Ltd Nov-18 164.9 140.5 17.3 7.9 9.3 -15.0 4.8 6.6
88 52 Lindum Group Ltd Nov-18 163.8 149.9 9.3 7.8 7.3 7.9 4.8 4.8
89 63 Dyer & Butler Ltd Mar-18 160.0 106.4 50.3 6.0 4.0 51.2 3.8 3.7
90 56 Eric Wright Group Ltd Dec-17 159.1 201.4 -21.0 7.2 7.4 -2.2 4.5 3.7
91 49 Mick George Ltd May-18 158.3 131.4 20.5 8.1 7.3 11.9 5.1 5.5
92 68 One Group Construction Ltd Dec-18 157.1 162.6 -3.4 5.3 6.4 -17.2 3.4 3.9
93 66 Novus Property Solutions Ltd Dec-18 155.8 148.6 4.9 5.5 5.4 1.7 3.6 3.7
94 61 Sherrygreen Ltd (Mulalley) Mar-19 153.9 140.2 9.7 6.5 8.4 -22.8 4.2 6.0
95 40 HG Construction Ltd Dec-18 152.4 126.0 21.0 10.5 8.6 22.3 6.9 6.8
96 94 Styles & Wood Ltd 8 Jun-18 151.5 100.3 51.1 -5.5 3.7 -248.1 -3.7 3.7
97 83 Gratte Brothers Group Ltd Mar-18 150.3 146.0 2.9 1.6 1.1 45.4 1.0 0.7
98 71 EW Beard Ltd Dec-18 149.8 144.1 4.0 4.4 3.9 13.7 2.9 2.7
99 36 Masterton Holdings Ltd Aug-18 149.2 129.2 15.5 11.1 1.1 5.2 7.4 8.1
100 72 Erith Holdings Ltd Sep-18 147.7 152.9 -3.4 4.0 1.0 -60.4 2.7 6.7
Totals 72,000.0 69,187.9 4.1 1,139.6 818.0 3.9 2.7 2.1

Latest accounts available at Companies House on July 30 2019

* Continuing operations only
1. Figures indicative only and subject to change pending final confirmation of annual report and accounts.
2. 2017 results Sept 2016-Mar 2017
3. Based on company press release.
4. Final audit figures supplied by the company.
5. Profit from continuing operations.
6. 2017 figures for 14 months to Dec 2017.
7. 2017 figures restated.
8. 18 months to June 2018 compared to 2016 calendar year.