Construction orders up at Bouygues

The Bouygues group has reported consolidated sales of €24.25 billion for the first nine months of 2013, stable compared to the previous year.

Operating profit amounted to €898 million, down €56 million for the same period of 2012, while net profit was €548 million, down €16 million year-on-year.

Despite a still challenging economic environment, order books were up 2% to €27.4 billion, compared to end-September 2012, with the group’s construction businesses showing strong growth in new orders.

Order intake at Bouygues Construction amounted to €8.6 billion, taking the order book to a record €17.7 billion at end-September 2013, 4% higher than at end-September 2012.

At Bouygues Immobilier, residential property reservations in the first nine months of 2013 rose 5% year-on-year to €1.1 billion.

Commercial property reservations in the first nine months of 2013 amounted to €210 million. The order book at end-September 2013 stood at €2.6 billion, representing 13 months of sales.

The group’s construction businesses posted consolidated sales of €19.1 billion, up 1% on September 2012 figures.

Operating profit at Bouygues Construction was up by €49 million to €309 million in the first nine months of 2013.

Bouygues forecast that its consolidated sales for the rest of the year would remain flat, while profitability was expected to continue to improve.