AGM Statement
May 07 2003 - 3:01AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:7687K
Taylor Woodrow PLC
07 May 2003
Embargoed: 07:00 hrs 7 May 2003
TAYLOR WOODROW plc
AGM TRADING STATEMENT
Iain Napier, Chief Executive of Taylor Woodrow, will make the following comments
at today's AGM.
"As we said at the time of our preliminary results in March, 2002 was a landmark
year for Taylor Woodrow. A year in which we made considerable progress and a
year in which we delivered excellent results.
So far this year in the UK Housing market we have seen a return to more normal
market conditions. Average selling prices have not experienced the strong growth
of last year but year to date are ahead of last year and our own internal
forecasts.
The next few weeks remain important as we are in the main selling period of the
year. As we indicated in March, our UK sales volumes will be skewed towards the
second half of the year as we open up new sites in the first half. Currently our
contracted and reserved sales for the second half are #186 million.
In North America, our markets continue to perform well. Our order book is
substantially ahead of the same period last year and we anticipate growth in
line with the Board's expectations.
The market in California remains strong, particularly in the south, where sales
are exceeding expectations. Florida, Texas and Arizona continue to trade in
line with expectations. In Canada, we are performing ahead of expectations, in
spite of lower than expected traffic attributed to adverse weather and, most
recently, fears over SARS. Our overall strategy to focus on the middle market
is progressing as planned.
Construction has grown its order book to #785 million during this year and is
performing in line with the Board's expectations.
So in summary, against a backdrop of more normal housing markets and given
reasonable market conditions for the rest of the year we remain on track to
deliver another set of solid results this year in line with the Board's
expectations. "
Taylor Woodrow will issue a first half trading update on Thursday 3 July.
For further information please contact:
Ian Morris 0121 600 8520 / 07816 518 767
Taylor Woodrow Public Relations
Jonathan Murrin 0121 600 8521 / 07816 518 718
Taylor Woodrow Investor Relations
Scott Fulton 020 7269 7130 / 07788 144 993
Peter Otero 020 7269 7121 / 07979 537 408
Financial Dynamics
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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