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Investing.com -- Crest Nicholson Holdings plc (LON:CRST) delivered reassuring first-half results on Thursday, showing its new strategy is working effectively as the company navigates through changing housing market conditions.
The homebuilder reported 739 home completions including joint ventures in H1 2025, representing a 6% decrease year-over-year. The private sales rate including bulk deals fell 40% to 107 units compared to 177 in the same period last year.
Despite these declines, Crest Nicholson’s open market sales rate improved to 0.53 from 0.47 in H1 2024, with a significant uptick to 0.61 since mid-January. The company operated with 40 average outlets, down from 45 in the previous year.
The gross margin increased to 14.2% from 12.0% in H1 2024. The average selling price on open market sales was £342,000, 2% lower due to a higher social housing mix, while open market selling prices remained stable at £422,000, up £1,000 from H1 2024.
Adjusted profit before tax rose 204% to £7.9 million compared to £2.6 million in H1 2024. The company reported net debt of £71.5 million, up from £9.4 million at the end of fiscal year 2024. The fire safety remediation provision increased by £2.4 million, reflecting cost inflation.
In current trading, sales have continued in line with management expectations in the first few weeks of H2. The forward order book stands at 763 homes. The company does not expect meaningful build cost inflation pressures on labor or materials for the remainder of FY2025.
Crest Nicholson maintained its full-year 2025 volume guidance of 1,050-1,150 open market homes and 650-750 bulk and affordable homes. The company expects adjusted profit before tax of £28 million to £38 million and net debt between £40 million and £90 million.