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U.K. (FTSE) Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Analysis

UpdatedApr 12, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies21
  • 7D5.2%
  • 3M6.9%
  • 1Y12.0%
  • YTDn/a

The Trade Companies and Distributors industry is up 5.2% in the last week, with Diploma up 7.6%. This takes the industry's 12 month performance to a gain of 12%. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 13% per annum.

Industry Valuation and Performance

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

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Sun, 12 Apr 2026UK£28.5bUK£31.7bUK£932.4m16.4x30.5x0.9x
Tue, 10 Mar 2026UK£26.3bUK£31.7bUK£1.1b15.6x25x0.8x
Thu, 05 Feb 2026UK£47.9bUK£39.5bUK£2.1b14.9x22.7x1.2x
Sat, 03 Jan 2026UK£47.4bUK£39.6bUK£2.2b13.8x21.8x1.2x
Mon, 01 Dec 2025UK£46.9bUK£39.8bUK£2.2b14.4x21x1.2x
Wed, 29 Oct 2025UK£49.4bUK£39.7bUK£2.2b15.5x22.3x1.2x
Fri, 26 Sep 2025UK£48.0bUK£39.7bUK£2.3b14.5x20.5x1.2x
Sun, 24 Aug 2025UK£51.4bUK£39.3bUK£2.4b15x21.8x1.3x
Tue, 22 Jul 2025UK£47.6bUK£39.4bUK£2.4b13.7x20.1x1.2x
Thu, 19 Jun 2025UK£45.7bUK£39.4bUK£2.4b13.6x19.2x1.2x
Sat, 17 May 2025UK£45.6bUK£39.5bUK£2.4b13.1x19.4x1.2x
Mon, 14 Apr 2025UK£42.3bUK£39.6bUK£2.4b12.9x17.8x1.1x
Wed, 12 Mar 2025UK£45.7bUK£39.8bUK£2.4b13.9x18.9x1.1x
Fri, 07 Feb 2025UK£52.5bUK£40.1bUK£2.5b13.8x21.3x1.3x
Sun, 05 Jan 2025UK£51.4bUK£40.2bUK£2.5b13.4x20.4x1.3x
Tue, 03 Dec 2024UK£59.3bUK£40.1bUK£2.5b13.2x23.6x1.5x
Thu, 31 Oct 2024UK£57.0bUK£39.1bUK£2.5b14.3x23x1.5x
Sat, 28 Sep 2024UK£59.1bUK£38.9bUK£2.4b16.1x24.3x1.5x
Mon, 26 Aug 2024UK£55.4bUK£39.2bUK£2.5b16.7x21.9x1.4x
Wed, 24 Jul 2024UK£56.7bUK£40.1bUK£3.2b14x17.7x1.4x
Fri, 21 Jun 2024UK£55.4bUK£40.1bUK£3.1b14x18.1x1.4x
Sun, 19 May 2024UK£58.0bUK£40.0bUK£3.1b14.7x18.4x1.4x
Tue, 16 Apr 2024UK£55.4bUK£40.1bUK£3.2b13.2x17.3x1.4x
Thu, 14 Mar 2024UK£52.5bUK£39.9bUK£3.2b13.5x16.6x1.3x
Sat, 10 Feb 2024UK£53.8bUK£40.5bUK£3.5b11.2x15.5x1.3x
Mon, 08 Jan 2024UK£52.7bUK£40.4bUK£3.5b10.9x15.2x1.3x
Wed, 06 Dec 2023UK£48.6bUK£39.7bUK£3.0b10.9x16.2x1.2x
Fri, 03 Nov 2023UK£47.1bUK£40.0bUK£3.1b10.1x15.2x1.2x
Sun, 01 Oct 2023UK£49.2bUK£40.0bUK£3.1b11.7x15.8x1.2x
Tue, 29 Aug 2023UK£49.8bUK£39.0bUK£3.1b11.1x16.2x1.3x
Thu, 27 Jul 2023UK£51.8bUK£38.8bUK£3.1b10.9x16.8x1.3x
Sat, 24 Jun 2023UK£50.9bUK£39.0bUK£3.2b10.8x15.9x1.3x
Mon, 22 May 2023UK£51.2bUK£38.7bUK£3.2b10.1x16x1.3x
Wed, 19 Apr 2023UK£49.9bUK£38.5bUK£3.2b12.6x15.8x1.3x
Price to Earnings Ratio

15.8x


Total Market Cap: UK£49.9bTotal Earnings: UK£3.2bTotal Revenue: UK£38.5bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.K. Trade Companies and Distributors Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 19.4x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are optimistic on the British Trading Companies and Distributors industry, and appear confident in long term growth rates.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 30.5x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 19.4x.
  • The 3-year average PS ratio of 1.3x is higher than the industry's current PS ratio of 0.90x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Trading Companies and Distributors industry have declined 33% per year over the last three years,
  • Revenues have also declined 6.2% per year.
  • This means overall sales from these companies are declining and profits are subsequently falling as well.

Industry Comparison

How does U.K. Trade Companies and Distributors compare with similar industries?

GB Market1.87%
Industrials2.40%
Trade Distributors5.16%
Trade Companies and Distributors5.16%
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
DPLM DiplomaUK£67.007.6%
+UK£637.0m		76.9%PE48.6x
BNZL BunzlUK£23.524.3%
+UK£314.6m		-21.7%PE16.4x
HWDN Howden Joinery GroupUK£8.283.6%
+UK£161.3m		19.5%PE16.7x
RS1 RS GroupUK£5.885.0%
+UK£131.2m		16.8%PE17.4x
TPK Travis PerkinsUK£5.793.9%
+UK£45.5m		10.2%PS0.3x

Latest News

HWDN
UK£8.28
Howden Joinery Group
7D
3.6%
1Y
19.5%
BNZL
UK£23.52
Bunzl
7D
4.3%
1Y
-21.7%
TPK
UK£5.79
Travis Perkins
7D
3.9%
1Y
10.2%
RS1
UK£5.88
RS Group
7D
5.0%
1Y
16.8%

RS1: Future Margin Execution Will Support Bullish Long Term Earnings Potential

RS Group's updated fair value estimate has edged down to £8.30 from £8.70 as analysts trim price targets across the sector, citing slightly higher discount rates, moderated profit margin assumptions, and a higher future P/E multiple despite revised revenue growth expectations. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on RS Group has centered on recalibrated price targets across several firms, with analysts aligning their assumptions on discount rates, margins, and P/E multiples to sector peers.
GFTU
UK£9.18
Grafton Group
7D
2.3%
1Y
8.0%
BRCK
UK£0.56
BRCK Group
7D
6.5%
1Y
-3.8%
DPLM
UK£67.00
Diploma
7D
7.6%
1Y
76.9%

DPLM: 2026 Guidance And Bank Revisions Will Support Premium P/E View

The analyst price target for Diploma has moved higher to £66.56. This change is supported by recent target upgrades from multiple banks and updated assumptions around modestly higher revenue growth, profit margins, and a slightly lower future P/E multiple.
AT.
UK£4.72
Ashtead Technology Holdings
7D
9.3%
1Y
2.6%

Ashtead Technology Holdings' (LON:AT.) Shareholders May Want To Dig Deeper Than Statutory Profit

Mar 28
Ashtead Technology Holdings' (LON:AT.) Shareholders May Want To Dig Deeper Than Statutory Profit
PRO
UK£0.045
ProService Building Services Marketplace
7D
-4.8%
1Y
-37.5%
VP.
UK£4.31
Vp
7D
-3.4%
1Y
-13.8%