Bouygues reports record orders

Industrial conglomerate Bouygues said its construction order book rose a "record" € 14,3 billion at 30 September - up +25% since last September.

And the Paris-headquartered company reported order intake in its construction division climbed +34% during the first nine months of the year to € 8,7 billion.

The increase was driven by several large contract wins, including a € 750 million deal to build the Singapore Sports Hub and a public-private partnership contract to reconfigure the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.

Bouygues' road-building unit, Colas, also leads a consortium known as Atlandes which was named preferred concession operator in August for the design, financing, construction and operation of a section of the A63 motorway in southwest France.

But despite buoyant orders, the company reported a -5% drop in construction sales to € 6,8 billion for the nine months to 30 September.

This fall was echoed in third quarter sales, which dropped -4% year-on-year to € 2,3 billion.

Nevertheless, Bouygues said construction sales were "in line" with its full-year target of € 9,1 billion.