Watkin Jones expects to post a ‘small positive’ operating profit for its half year due to its strong operational focus as the company provided a trading update for the half year ended 31 March 2025.
In what remains a challenging market backdrop, management has continued to focus on delivery, cost management and cash generation.
In the period, the Group signed two development partnerships, both of which have started on site, with new homes in St Helens and an aparthotel in Southwark.
Continued effective cash control means that the Group’s cash position remained robust through the period, with gross and net cash at 31 March 2025 of c.£87m (H1 24: £67m) and c.£73m (H1 24: £44m), respectively.
The company is monitoring market volatility and conditions closely – in particular those relating to residential transactional liquidity, but its current pipeline continues to provide the potential to deliver an expected stronger second half.
Since 1999, Watkin Jones has delivered over 49,000 student beds across 147 schemes, making it a key player and leader in the UK purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) market.
