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U.K. (FTSE) Trade Distributors Industry Analysis

UpdatedDec 26, 2025
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies23
  • 7D-2.6%
  • 3M0.6%
  • 1Y-4.6%
  • YTD-4.4%

Over the last 7 days, the Trade Distributors industry has dropped 2.6%, driven by Ashtead Group declining 4.1%. The industry has fallen 4.6% in the last year. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 13% per annum.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.K. Trade Distributors Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Fri, 26 Dec 2025UK£47.9bUK£39.6bUK£2.2b13.9x22.1x1.2x
Sun, 23 Nov 2025UK£45.5bUK£39.8bUK£2.3b14.2x20.2x1.1x
Tue, 21 Oct 2025UK£49.6bUK£39.6bUK£2.2b14.8x22.5x1.3x
Thu, 18 Sep 2025UK£50.2bUK£39.5bUK£2.3b14.9x21.7x1.3x
Sat, 16 Aug 2025UK£50.0bUK£39.3bUK£2.4b14.4x21.3x1.3x
Mon, 14 Jul 2025UK£47.3bUK£39.4bUK£2.4b13.9x20x1.2x
Wed, 11 Jun 2025UK£45.7bUK£39.4bUK£2.4b12.9x19.4x1.2x
Fri, 09 May 2025UK£43.5bUK£39.5bUK£2.4b13.1x18.5x1.1x
Sun, 06 Apr 2025UK£42.0bUK£39.8bUK£2.4b13x17.5x1.1x
Tue, 04 Mar 2025UK£49.1bUK£39.9bUK£2.4b12.6x20.2x1.2x
Thu, 30 Jan 2025UK£53.0bUK£40.1bUK£2.5b13.7x21.5x1.3x
Sat, 28 Dec 2024UK£51.6bUK£40.1bUK£2.5b13.2x20.7x1.3x
Mon, 25 Nov 2024UK£59.0bUK£39.5bUK£2.5b12.5x23.5x1.5x
Wed, 23 Oct 2024UK£57.7bUK£39.1bUK£2.5b14.4x23.3x1.5x
Fri, 20 Sep 2024UK£59.3bUK£38.9bUK£2.4b16.5x24.4x1.5x
Sun, 18 Aug 2024UK£54.6bUK£39.3bUK£2.6b16.1x21.4x1.4x
Tue, 16 Jul 2024UK£56.5bUK£39.9bUK£3.0b14x18.7x1.4x
Thu, 13 Jun 2024UK£55.5bUK£39.9bUK£3.1b13.2x18.2x1.4x
Sat, 11 May 2024UK£58.6bUK£40.1bUK£3.2b13.8x18.4x1.5x
Mon, 08 Apr 2024UK£55.1bUK£40.0bUK£3.2b13.4x17.3x1.4x
Wed, 06 Mar 2024UK£53.7bUK£40.0bUK£3.2b12.2x16.8x1.3x
Fri, 02 Feb 2024UK£53.9bUK£40.4bUK£3.5b11.3x15.6x1.3x
Sun, 31 Dec 2023UK£55.2bUK£40.4bUK£3.5b11.1x16x1.4x
Tue, 28 Nov 2023UK£48.3bUK£39.7bUK£3.0b10.9x16.1x1.2x
Thu, 26 Oct 2023UK£45.6bUK£40.0bUK£3.1b9.9x14.7x1.1x
Sat, 23 Sep 2023UK£49.7bUK£39.9bUK£3.1b11.8x15.9x1.2x
Mon, 21 Aug 2023UK£49.6bUK£38.9bUK£3.1b11.1x16.2x1.3x
Wed, 19 Jul 2023UK£51.1bUK£38.8bUK£3.2b10.6x16.2x1.3x
Fri, 16 Jun 2023UK£52.9bUK£39.0bUK£3.2b10.9x16.5x1.4x
Sun, 14 May 2023UK£50.0bUK£38.5bUK£3.2b10.2x15.8x1.3x
Tue, 11 Apr 2023UK£47.5bUK£38.5bUK£3.2b12.6x15x1.2x
Thu, 09 Mar 2023UK£54.6bUK£38.6bUK£3.2b12.2x17x1.4x
Sat, 04 Feb 2023UK£55.8bUK£36.8bUK£3.1b13.1x18.2x1.5x
Mon, 02 Jan 2023UK£47.2bUK£36.8bUK£3.1b12.1x15.4x1.3x
Price to Earnings Ratio

15.4x


Total Market Cap: UK£47.2bTotal Earnings: UK£3.1bTotal Revenue: UK£36.8bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.K. Trade Distributors Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 18.6x20242025
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are optimistic on the British Trade Distributors industry, and appear confident in long term growth rates.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 22.1x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 18.6x.
  • The industry is trading close to its 3-year average PS ratio of 1.3x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Trade Distributors industry have declined 11% per year over the last three years.
  • Meanwhile revenues for these companies have grown 2.5% per year.
  • This means that although more sales are being generated, either the cost of doing business or the level of investment back into businesses has increased, which has decreased profits.

Industry Trends

Which industries have driven the changes within the U.K. Industrials industry?

GB Market0.35%
Industrials-0.46%
Trade Distributors-2.63%
Trade Companies and Distributors-2.63%
Industry PEThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.
Forecasted GrowthThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
TPK Travis PerkinsUK£6.362.2%
+UK£28.5m		-11.4%PS0.3x
AT. Ashtead Technology HoldingsUK£3.142.4%
+UK£6.0m		-42.8%PE8.6x
FLO Flowtech FluidpowerUK£0.5612.0%
+UK£3.8m		-28.8%PS0.3x
LTHM James LathamUK£9.851.0%
+UK£2.8m		-16.2%PE15.5x

Latest News

LTHM
UK£9.85
James Latham
7D
1.0%
1Y
-16.2%
GFTU
UK£9.31
Grafton Group
7D
-0.4%
1Y
-1.9%

Improved Earnings Required Before Grafton Group plc (LON:GFTU) Shares Find Their Feet

Dec 26
Improved Earnings Required Before Grafton Group plc (LON:GFTU) Shares Find Their Feet
RS1
UK£6.26
RS Group
7D
-2.6%
1Y
-7.5%

RS Group plc's (LON:RS1) Popularity With Investors Is Clear

Dec 22
RS Group plc's (LON:RS1) Popularity With Investors Is Clear
AHT
UK£51.84
Ashtead Group
7D
-3.0%
1Y
4.9%

AHT: Share Buybacks And Dividends Will Mask Limited Rental Revenue Upside

Analysts have raised their price target on Ashtead Group to approximately £46.00 from about £40.46, reflecting improved expectations for revenue growth and profit margins, along with a slightly higher discount rate and a modestly lower future valuation multiple. What's in the News Ashtead Group has announced a new share repurchase program of up to $1.5 billion, valid until the end of April 2027 (Key Developments).
DPLM
UK£53.25
Diploma
7D
-0.9%
1Y
24.7%

Diploma (LON:DPLM) Seems To Use Debt Rather Sparingly

Dec 19
Diploma (LON:DPLM) Seems To Use Debt Rather Sparingly
BNZL
UK£20.80
Bunzl
7D
-0.7%
1Y
-37.2%
SHI
UK£0.099
SIG
7D
-1.8%
1Y
-41.2%

SHI: Sector Perform Rating Will Support Reset Expectations And Undervalued Recovery Potential

Analysts have cut their price target on SIG to 9 GBp from 16 GBp. This reflects more cautious expectations for the shares while maintaining a broadly neutral stance on the company. Analyst Commentary Analysts describe the move to a 9 GBp price target as a recalibration to current trading conditions rather than a fundamental shift in the investment case, resulting in a neutral stance on the shares.
TPK
UK£6.36
Travis Perkins
7D
2.2%
1Y
-11.4%

Pinning Down Travis Perkins plc's (LON:TPK) P/S Is Difficult Right Now

Dec 09
Pinning Down Travis Perkins plc's (LON:TPK) P/S Is Difficult Right Now
VP.
UK£5.24
Vp
7D
-4.7%
1Y
-4.7%
HWDN
UK£8.31
Howden Joinery Group
7D
-1.1%
1Y
5.2%

Capital Allocation Trends At Howden Joinery Group (LON:HWDN) Aren't Ideal

Nov 29
Capital Allocation Trends At Howden Joinery Group (LON:HWDN) Aren't Ideal
FLO
UK£0.56
Flowtech Fluidpower
7D
12.0%
1Y
-28.8%

Take Care Before Jumping Onto Flowtech Fluidpower plc (LON:FLO) Even Though It's 27% Cheaper

Nov 15
Take Care Before Jumping Onto Flowtech Fluidpower plc (LON:FLO) Even Though It's 27% Cheaper
AT.
UK£3.14
Ashtead Technology Holdings
7D
2.4%
1Y
-42.8%

Ashtead Technology Holdings (LON:AT.) Has A Pretty Healthy Balance Sheet

Oct 03
Ashtead Technology Holdings (LON:AT.) Has A Pretty Healthy Balance Sheet