Property developer Bellway saw its underlying operating profits grow 11.6% from £297.7m to £332.2m in H1 of 2022 due to volume growth. However, the threat of higher costs has hit investor sentiment and shares were down over 5% on Tuesday.
Compared to H1 2021, Bellway’s volume output has increased to 5,694 houses from 5,656 houses in H1 2022 with the average price for the homes exceeding £305,000 in 2022.
The company believes ‘long-term housing market fundamentals’ are favourable. The property developer expects to increase its total output to exceed 11,100 homes for the full year ending in July 2022.
On 13 March 2022, Bellway was already in a strong forward sales position with 7,491 houses in their order books, an increase from 6,028 houses, for a value of £2.2bn as opposed to £1.6bn in H1 2021.
Bellway saw its revenue increase by 3.5% to £1.78b from £1.72bn in H1 2021 as underlying demand increased by 5.8% in the overall reservation rate and 3.8% in the private reservation rate.
Bellway invested in 8,660 plots compared to 8,848 plots in H1 2022 across 45 sites with an expected gross margin of 23% to enable growth in the coming years for the group.
Price optimisation and cost control benefitted the underlying operating margin by 18.7% in H1 2022.
However, Bellway has increased building safety improvements adjustments by £22.1m, before a £2.5m recovery of provisions to aide past fire safety problems.
The pre-tax profit for the group increased by 8.9% to £327.2m from £300.5m in H1 2021.
The property company announced a 28.6% increase in interim dividends from 35p to 45p in H1 2022 with dividend cover expected to be 3x.
Ross Hindle, Senior Analyst, Third Bridge commented, “Bellway produced a steady set of results, with revenue increasing 3.5% to £1,780.0 million, in line with estimates, and continuing its impressive volume growth, with a further 5,694 new homes completed during the period.”
“Although inflated raw material and labour costs are a big factor, continued undersupply means Bellway continues to benefit from the yawning gap between housing supply and demand.”
“Rising costs, staffing shortages and cladding issues remain the three of the key challenges facing Bellway.”
Bellway saw its shares drop 1.7% to 2,555p despite delivering strong revenues in H1 of 2022 and creating optimism around the rest of its financial year.