Persimmon steams ahead amid strong customer demand

The York-based group also reported stong customer satisfaction levels in the first half of 2021.

Dean Finch, Persimmon's chief executive, said: “Persimmon performed well during the first half of the year delivering new home sales completions approaching the levels achieved in the first half of 2019.

"I am particularly pleased that we are continuing to achieve pre-Covid build rates across our sites whilst successfully maintaining higher levels of build quality and customer service.

"Our current HBF customer satisfaction score is 91.9 per cent, with Persimmon’s monthly performance trending ahead of five star for the last 18 months. We are providing much needed new homes to our customers whilst continuing to drive forward our ambition of building right, first time, every time.

“Customer demand for our new homes has been strong right across the UK with healthy sales reservation rates through the period. The group has an excellent forward order book at the end of June of £1.82bn."

The firm said it is taking advantage of attractive land investment opportunities and it successfully brought over 10,000 new plots into the business across 48 locations in the period.

Mr Finch said: “Persimmon is well placed for the future with a strong balance sheet and healthy liquidity. As such, we are pleased to announce the accelerated payment of the surplus capital distribution of 110p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2020, which will be paid on 13 August 2021.”

The group delivered 7,406 new homes to its customers, up from 4,900 in 2020, generating housing revenues of £1.75bn.

The average selling price rose 4.9 per cent to £236,200, up from £225,066 in 2020, reflecting the stronger market conditions experienced throughout the period.