Marshalls Regulatory News (MSLH)

Interim Management Statement: 5 November 2014

Trading Performance

Marshalls plc (MSLH), the specialist landscape products company, today issued its Interim Management Statement for the ten months ended 31 October 2014.

Marshalls' revenue from continuing operations for the ten months ended 31 October 2014 was up 18 per cent at £312 million (2013: £265 million). The Group continues to experience strong order intake and sales growth in all its end markets. If the positive market conditions continue it is likely that the full year results will be above current market expectations.

Sales to the Public Sector and Commercial end market, which now represent approximately 63 per cent of Marshalls' sales, were up 21 per cent, on a continuing basis. The Group continues to target those parts of the market where higher levels of growth are anticipated, such as Rail, Home, Landscape Water Management and Internal Natural Stone Flooring.

Sales to the Domestic end market, which represent approximately 31 per cent of Group sales, were up 10 per cent compared with the prior year period. The survey of domestic installers at the end of October 2014 revealed order books of 11.9 weeks (2013: 11.0 weeks) compared with 11.5 weeks at the end of June 2014.

Continued progress has been made in developing the International business, where revenue has grown by 34 per cent in the ten months ended 31 October 2014 and has now reached 6 per cent of expanded Group sales.

Dividend

The 2014 interim dividend of 2.00 pence per share, announced on 28 August 2014, will be paid on 5 December 2014 to shareholders registered at the close of business on 24 October 2014.

Outlook

The Construction Products Association's Autumn Forecast predicts growth in UK market volumes of 4.8 per cent in 2014 and 5.3 per cent in 2015 which is an improvement on their Summer Forecast.

The Group continues to increase output to meet growing demand and to deliver benefits from its operational gearing. The Group remains focused on product innovation and service delivery initiatives to deliver continued sales growth and improve trading margins.

Enquiries:

Note to the Editor:

About Marshalls:

Established in the late 1880s, Marshalls is the UK's leading manufacturer of superior natural stone and innovative concrete hard landscaping products, supplying the construction, home improvement and landscape markets. Marshalls provides the product ranges, design services, technical expertise, innovative ideas and inspiration to transform gardens, drives and public and commercial landscapes.

Marshalls operates its own quarries and manufacturing sites throughout the UK, including a national network of manufacturing and distribution sites, and has operations in Belgium and sales representation in other international markets. As a major plc, Marshalls is committed to quality in everything it does, including the achievement of high environmental and ethical standards and continual improvement in health and safety performance.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Any statements in this release, to the extent that they are forward-looking, are subject to risk factors associated with, amongst other things, the economic and business circumstances occurring from time to time in the markets in which Marshalls operates. It is believed that the expectations reflected in these statements are reasonable but they may be affected by a wide range of variables which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. More information about the factors that may affect Marshalls' performance is contained in the Annual Report to shareholders for the year ended 31 December 2013.