Jarvis Porter Group Plc said 27/03/06 that the board anticipates revenues of £18.3M year end/28 Feb/06 (£18.0M) against which the company will report an operating loss on ordinary activities before exceptional items of around £895,000 (£627,000). As the firm indicated in its interim results for the 6-months to 31/08/05, trading conditions remain challenging in the UK market, in which the company's principal subsidiary Darby Group operates. Consumer spending remains weak and uncertainty continues in the UK housing market despite signs of strengthening house prices. Market conditions during the winter were depressed, however, sales in the 2H of the year to 28 Feb/06 improved by 4.8% over the previous yr/2H. Margins are under pressure from rising raw material & energy costs & intense competition for market share.
