Kingfisher, the biggest home-improvements retailer in Europe, today posted flagging fourth-quarter sales due to 'difficult' conditions around the world.
Like-for-like sales, stripping out the effect of new floor space and exchange rate moves, fell 5.5% in the 13 weeks to January 31, from the same time the previous year.
Kingfisher added in a trading update that full-year group sales jumped 10.8% to £10.026 billion sterling, but fell by 4.1% on a like-for-like basis.
The group also forecast that full-year pre-tax profit will meet consensus estimates - of about £364m - when it is announced on March 26.
Kingfisher, which owns the B&Q chain in Ireland and the UK and the Castorama and Brico Depot stores in France, blamed weak fourth quarter sales on a 'weaker international trading environment'.
Chief Executive Ian Cheshire added in the trading update that consumers were facing a difficult time across Kingfisher's main markets.
'We continued to take share in our major markets during Q4 and have managed our cashflow in what was a particularly difficult time for consumers,' he said.
