Top 100 Construction Companies 2015
Who’s up and who’s down?
A year on from the confirmation of a sustained growth trend for UK construction activity, the mood has turned from rampant optimism to deep concern at the profitability of contractors. Recent months have seen a steady flow of bad news from the industry’s major players. Several major businesses have issued profit warnings, some have announced eye-watering losses and – worst of all – a handful of significant businesses have collapsed, such as GB Building Solutions, or declared their insolvency, for example the Dutch parent company and German fellow subsidiary of the UK operations of Imtech.
The half-year figures posted in mid-August by the UK’s largest contractor, Balfour Beatty, were truly shocking, adding a further £150m loss for just six months to the £304m loss declared for the calendar year 2014.
Observers could be forgiven for wondering just how many skeletons there are in Balfour Beatty’s financial cupboard, while Carillion shareholders will be heaving huge sighs of relief that last year’s attempt to take over Balfour Beatty failed. Meanwhile our third largest contractor, Interserve, has just reported that margins in its UK construction business have fallen from 1.9% to only 1.1% in the first half of 2015.
For full analysis of 2015 Top 100, please click here.
Rank by turnover | Rank by profit | Company | 2014 Rank by turnover | 2014 Rank by profit | Latest turnover (£m) | 2014 turnover (£m) | Latest pre-tax profit (£m) | 2014 Pre-tax profit (£m) | Latest margin (%) | Previous margin (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 100 | Balfour Beatty | 1 | 100 | 8,793 | 8,852 | -304.0 | -49.0 | -3.5 | -0.6 |
2 | 1 | Carillion | 2 | 1 | 4,072 | 4,081 | 142.6 | 110.6 | 3.5 | 2.7 |
3 | 4 | Interserve | 4 | 4 | 3,305 | 2,582 | 61.9 | 68.1 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
4 | 21 | Kier Group | 3 | 7 | 2,985 | 2,669 | 14.8 | 43.0 | 0.5 | 1.6 |
5 | 13 | Morgan Sindall | 5 | 19 | 2,220 | 2,095 | 22.8 | 13.9 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
6 | 2 | Amey Uk | 6 | 2 | 2,168 | 1,762 | 106.7 | 78.7 | 4.9 | 4.5 |
7 | 3 | Galliford Try | 9 | 3 | 1,768 | 1,467 | 95.2 | 74.1 | 5.4 | 5.1 |
8 | 30 | Laing O'Rourke | 8 | 15 | 1,669 | 1,640 | 10.4 | 21.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
9 | 11 | Keller | 10 | 5 | 1,600 | 1,438 | 28.2 | 52.0 | 1.8 | 3.6 |
10 | 16 | Bam | 7 | 8 | 1,596 | 1,647 | 21.6 | 32.0 | 1.4 | 1.9 |
11 | 36 | Isg | 11 | 47 | 1,483 | 1,284 | 6.8 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
12 | 5 | Skanska | 13 | 6 | 1,260 | 1,121 | 41.3 | 44.2 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
13 | 18 | Willmott Dixon | 15 | 33 | 1,259 | 1,023 | 17.0 | 6.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
14 | 9 | Mace | 14 | 9 | 1,183 | 1,108 | 32.4 | 28.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
15 | 14 | Costain | 16 | 21 | 1,123 | 960 | 22.6 | 12.9 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
16 | 98 | Sir Robert Mcalpine | 18 | 36 | 1,064 | 898 | -67.8 | 5.9 | -6.4 | 0.7 |
17 | 15 | Wates | 17 | 11 | 1,050 | 931 | 22.6 | 22.3 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
18 | 99 | Vinci Uk | 12 | 31 | 1,017 | 1,255 | -216.9 | 7.1 | -21.3 | 0.6 |
19 | 6 | J Murphy | 25 | 13 | 954 | 653 | 34.7 | 21.9 | 3.6 | 3.4 |
20 | 19 | Lakeside 1 | 19 | 98 | 931 | 886 | 16.2 | -21.4 | 1.7 | -2.4 |
21 | 10 | Mears | 20 | 14 | 839 | 866 | 29.7 | 21.7 | 3.5 | 2.5 |
22 | 12 | Bowmer And Kirkland | 24 | 10 | 732 | 660 | 27.1 | 23.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
23 | 26 | Volkerwessels Uk | 23 | 22 | 697 | 691 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
24 | 27 | Shepherd | 22 | 20 | 686 | 748 | 11.4 | 13.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
25 | 8 | Miller | 21 | 26 | 674 | 817 | 34.6 | 10.4 | 5.1 | 1.3 |
26 | 25 | Imtech | 26 | 12 | 645 | 648 | 12.5 | 22.3 | 1.9 | 3.4 |
27 | 94 | Morrison Utility Services | 27 | 92 | 518 | 550 | -6.9 | -5.5 | -1.3 | -1.0 |
28 | 51 | Sse Contracting | 28 | 16 | 490 | 490 | 3.9 | 20.8 | 0.8 | 4.2 |
29 | 22 | Renew Holdings | 33 | 24 | 464 | 350 | 13.1 | 10.7 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
30 | 29 | Lend Lease | 29 | 94 | 441 | 449 | 10.6 | -8.6 | 2.4 | -1.9 |
31 | 57 | John Graham | 32 | 85 | 429 | 364 | 2.7 | -2.2 | 0.6 | -0.6 |
32 | 48 | Mclaren | 31 | 23 | 411 | 378 | 4.3 | 11.7 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
33 | 35 | N G Bailey | 30 | 95 | 380 | 422 | 6.9 | -10.1 | 1.8 | -2.4 |
34 | 96 | Byrne Group | 36 | 72 | 349 | 280 | -12.1 | 0.6 | -3.5 | 0.2 |
35 | 44 | Geoffrey Osborne | 38 | 87 | 327 | 256 | 5.0 | -2.8 | 1.5 | -1.1 |
36 | 24 | Integral Uk | 39 | 25 | 310 | 239 | 12.9 | 10.7 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
37 | 42 | Buckingham | 54 | 78 | 309 | 184 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
38 | 80 | Lakehouse | 52 | 32 | 302 | 191 | 0.1 | 7.1 | 0.0 | 3.7 |
39 | 28 | Brookfield Multiplex | 45 | 28 | 295 | 222 | 10.9 | 8.3 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
40 | 66 | John Sisk | 35 | 58 | 278 | 294 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
41 | 52 | Clancy | 41 | 73 | 270 | 239 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 |
42 | 43 | R G Carter | 40 | 39 | 261 | 239 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
43 | 7 | Robertson Group | 43 | 89 | 261 | 231 | 34.7 | -3.9 | 13.3 | -1.7 |
44 | 40 | Carey Group | 53 | 51 | 258 | 188 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
45 | 93 | Ardmore | 42 | 65 | 241 | 236 | -5.7 | 0.9 | -2.4 | 0.4 |
46 | 39 | Northstone Ni | 34 | 29 | 239 | 299 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 2.6 | 2.7 |
47 | 92 | City Building (Glasgow) | 51 | 84 | 237 | 195 | -4.4 | -1.2 | -1.9 | -0.6 |
48 | 88 | Longcross | 47 | 61 | 231 | 216 | -1.2 | 1.1 | -0.5 | 0.5 |
49 | 87 | T Clarke | 46 | 56 | 228 | 217 | -0.7 | 1.7 | -0.3 | 0.8 |
50 | 32 | Emcor | 37 | 96 | 225 | 274 | 10.0 | -13.1 | 4.4 | -4.8 |
52 | 41 | Lorne Stewart | 50 | 37 | 203 | 200 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
51 | 60 | Midas | 56 | 59 | 203 | 181 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
53 | 84 | Severfield | 44 | 90 | 202 | 231 | -0.2 | -4.1 | -0.1 | -1.8 |
54 | 37 | Malcolm Group | 48 | 34 | 197 | 212 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
55 | 91 | Mclaughlin & Harvey | 67 | 44 | 196 | 158 | -3.6 | 3.2 | -1.8 | 2.0 |
56 | 90 | North Midland Construction | 59 | 93 | 193 | 178 | -3.0 | -6.0 | -1.6 | -3.4 |
57 | 53 | Esh Holdings | 62 | 74 | 192 | 174 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
58 | 59 | Higgins | 58 | 48 | 181 | 179 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
59 | 17 | Bechtel | 65 | 18 | 178 | 162 | 18.0 | 14.8 | 10.1 | 9.1 |
60 | 46 | Eric Wright | 49 | 38 | 177 | 201 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
61 | 64 | Forth Holdings | 57 | 40 | 175 | 181 | 1.5 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 3.0 |
62 | 97 | Spie | 55 | 97 | 166 | 183 | -13.5 | -17.4 | -8.1 | -9.5 |
63 | 54 | William Hare | 68 | 54 | 165 | 157 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
64 | 23 | Mullalley | 72 | 27 | 163 | 135 | 13.0 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 6.3 |
65 | 45 | Lagan | 61 | 46 | 158 | 174 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 1.6 |
66 | 74 | Mcnicholas Construction | 70 | 42 | 156 | 143 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 2.8 |
67 | 49 | Mabey | 71 | 99 | 153 | 142 | 4.2 | -24.3 | 2.7 | -17.1 |
68 | 50 | Seddon | 66 | 52 | 149 | 162 | 4.1 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
69 | 20 | Barr | 64 | 49 | 148 | 164 | 15.7 | 2.2 | 10.6 | 1.3 |
70 | 68 | Rgcm | 63 | 57 | 148 | 166 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
71 | 47 | Winvic | 73 | 45 | 146 | 112 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 |
72 | 38 | Dawnus | 60 | 17 | 142 | 177 | 6.2 | 17.6 | 4.4 | 9.9 |
73 | 31 | Thomas Armstrong | 74 | 30 | 125 | 110 | 10.2 | 7.5 | 8.2 | 6.8 |
74 | 58 | M.V. Kelly | 79 | 60 | 122 | 94 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
75 | 56 | Lindum | 78 | 55 | 121 | 94 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
76 | 75 | Tolent | 77 | 91 | 113 | 97 | 0.4 | -4.6 | 0.4 | -4.7 |
77 | 34 | Masterton | 83 | 41 | 110 | 84 | 7.0 | 4.8 | 6.4 | 5.7 |
78 | 78 | G.F.Tomlinson | 76 | 88 | 107 | 99 | 0.2 | -3.6 | 0.2 | -3.6 |
79 | 95 | Iss | 69 | 62 | 102 | 146 | -12.0 | 1.1 | -11.8 | 0.8 |
80 | 33 | R.J. Mcleod | 82 | 35 | 100 | 84 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 7.8 | 7.7 |
81 | 86 | Headcrown | 75 | 86 | 99 | 102 | -0.5 | -2.5 | -0.5 | -2.5 |
82 | 81 | City Building | 81 | 83 | 97 | 90 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
83 | 72 | Trant | 84 | 66 | 79 | 67 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
84 | 76 | Speller Metcalfe | 89 | 82 | 77 | 56 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
85 | 71 | Simpson (York) | 80 | 50 | 74 | 93 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.4 |
88 | 69 | Barnes Group | 86 | 67 | 70 | 63 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
86 | 65 | John Turner | 87 | 68 | 70 | 62 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
87 | 61 | Shaylor | 94 | 69 | 70 | 43 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 2.1 |
89 | 73 | Base Build | 88 | 79 | 66 | 60 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
90 | 89 | Stepnell | 85 | 43 | 63 | 67 | -2.5 | 3.3 | -4.0 | 4.9 |
91 | 82 | Ogilvie Construction | 91 | 76 | 56 | 47 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.3 |
92 | 63 | Feltham Group | 90 | 75 | 48 | 51 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 1.2 |
93 | 79 | Brymor | 95 | 81 | 46 | 43 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
94 | 83 | Ashe Group | 92 | 80 | 45 | 47 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
95 | 55 | Verbier | 100 | 64 | 44 | 36 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 7.3 | 3.1 |
96 | 85 | Moortown | 96 | 71 | 43 | 42 | -0.4 | 0.7 | -0.9 | 1.7 |
97 | 67 | Cardy | 99 | 63 | 42 | 37 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 |
98 | 70 | Jerram | 98 | 70 | 41 | 38 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
99 | 62 | Vascroft | 93 | 53 | 40 | 44 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
100 | 77 | Blenheim House | 97 | 77 | 37 | 41 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.5 |
TOTALS | 59,425 | 55,494 | 462 | 789 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
Key:
Up from 2014
Down from 2014
No change from 2014