Home improvement retailer B&Q has reported a growth in first quarter revenues as big ticket sales continue to deliver a positive performance.

According to the latest Kingfisher, parent company of B&Q, latest trading update for the three months ended 30 April 2025, total Q1 2025 sales were up 2.2% to £3.3bn, with like-for-like sales up by 1.8%.

During the quarter, UK & Ireland sales rose 6.1% to £1.7bn, while France revenues declined 4.9% to £976m and Poland sales fell 0.4% to £443m. Other international sales were up 2.5% to £164m.

The group said that volume and transaction growth was driven by seasonal categories, which had a positive mix impact on average selling price, while online sales were up 9.3%, with e-commerce penetration reaching 20%.

It also marked a second quarter of underlying growth in ‘big-ticket’ sales, supported by recent range reviews, while its core categories delivered a stable underlying performance.

Within the UK & Ireland, B&Q sales rose 7.4% to £1bn, while Screwfix sales increased 4.1% to £675m.

“LFL growth was driven by strong seasonal category sales, with a positive performance also seen in core and ‘big-ticket’ categories,” the group said on B&Q’s performance. “B&Q’s marketplace penetration reached 45% in Q1, with focus on on-boarding international vendors. We have also completed the conversion of eight stores acquired from Homebase, with six now open and the remaining two set to open by the end of May.”

The group added that guidance remains unchanged and expects adjusted PBT of c.£480m to £540m, and free cash flow of c.£420m to £480m.

Thierry Garnier, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have made a good start to the year with underlying sales growth of 3.1%, market share gains in all key regions and further progress in our strategic priorities.

“Our UK banners performed particularly well, driven by strong seasonal sales and growth in trade and e-commerce. We have successfully completed the conversion of eight former Homebase stores, all of which will be operating under the B&Q banner by the end of May. France delivered sequential improvement, outperforming challenging market conditions, while Poland, as expected, experienced short-term volatility due to geopolitical factors.

“It is still early in the year and consumer sentiment remains mixed across our markets. We are focused on executing our strategic growth priorities, maintaining discipline on margin and costs, and driving shareholder returns. We are confident in delivering our full year guidance.”