Claims extracted
19
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 19 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
65/100
Evening Standard's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Kingfisher delivers profit upgrade despite flagging B&Q sales
asserted
Kingfisher → deliver → sales
The group said B&Q like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland dropped 1.8% over its second quarter, with sales of so-called big ticket items plunging 8.1%, driven largely by lower demand for bathroom ranges.
asserted
sales → say → ranges
But the decline marked an improvement on the 4.1% fall seen in the first quarter across B&Q, as heatwaves sparked a recovery in demand for seasonal items.
asserted
heatwaves → mark → items
Its Screwfix business also continued to see strong sales, with a 7.1% jump in the second quarter, helping overall UK and Ireland same store sales rise 1.6% in the second quarter and 0.4% over the first half.
asserted
sales → continue → half
Kingfisher – which also has a number of home improvement brands across Europe, such as Brico Depot and Castorama – reported a 9.9% rise in underlying pre-tax profits to £404 million for the six months to July 31, though this was boosted by a one-off £14 million UK business rates refund.
asserted
this → have → refund
On a statutory basis, pre-tax profits jumped 18.4% to £400 million.
asserted
profits → jump → million
The group increased its guidance for full-year underlying pre-tax profit guidance to between £595 million and £635 million, up from the £565 million to £625 million previously pencilled in, helping shares jump 10% in morning trade on Tuesday.
asserted
shares → increase → Tuesday
Outgoing chief executive Thierry Garnier said: “While the consumer environment remains mixed, our consistent delivery, strategic progress and opportunities ahead give us the confidence to upgrade our guidance.”
asserted
delivery → say → guidance
Mr Garnier announced plans in May to step down after nearly seven years to head up Netherlands-headquartered supermarket group Ahold Delhaize, but is remaining in place during the hunt for his successor.
uncertain
Garnier → announce → successor
The group said record summer heatwaves saw a boost in demand for air conditioning and cooling products, as well as outdoor living ranges, but impacted sales of plants, indoor and outdoor paint and fencing – as the heat put many off DIY work.
asserted
heat → say → work
It also helped drive a shift towards online shopping with customers shunning stores in the heat, as B&Q app and internet sales jumped 19.3% in the first half.
asserted
sales → help → half
The group said it had overhauled its bathroom ranges to help revive big-ticket sales, but that waning consumer confidence amid high inflation and the Iran war was holding back spending.
asserted
confidence → say → spending
Mr Garnier said the outlook for consumer spending over the remainder of 2026 was “not fantastic”, but fairly stable.
asserted
outlook → say → 2026
He told reporters on a media call he would like the upcoming UK Budget to see changes to the onerous business rates system, and to level the playing field between bricks and mortar retailers and online players.
asserted
Budget → tell → retailers
But he added: “I hope larger stores won’t be penalised.”
asserted
stores → add → ?
Overall, he said the firm was looking for greater certainty.
asserted
firm → say → certainty
“Stability and certainty are always what we look for as a business, and for me as well as a consumer,” he said.
asserted
he → look → me
Analysts at Peel Hunt praised a solid set of half-year figures from Kingfisher.
asserted
Analysts → praise → Kingfisher
They said: “Kingfisher is in a good place, in our view
“The group has delivered growth despite a lacklustre market backdrop, especially in big ticket.”
asserted
group → say → ticket
The Aporia
