Wickes

What Wickes does

Wickes Group Plc is a UK home improvement retailer headquartered in Watford, England. The company was founded in 1972, operated as a subsidiary of Travis Perkins from 2005, and was demerged and independently listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker WIX) in March 2021. For FY2025, Wickes reported revenue of £1,636.2m (+5.9% YoY) and adjusted profit before tax of £49.9m (+14.4% YoY), with a market capitalisation of approximately £515.7m and a net cash position of £91.7m.

Wickes serves three distinct customer segments through a digitally-led, service-enabled operating model: Local Trade (TradePro), which supplies builders, contractors, and tradespeople with trade-trusted brands at 10% lower pricing via dedicated accounts; Design & Installation, a concept-to-completion professional service for kitchens, bathrooms, and other home improvements; and DIY Retail, offering curated product ranges to consumers with advice and guidance. Distribution is omnichannel through 230+ UK stores, e-commerce, and a home delivery partnership with CitySprint (DPD). Underlying technology includes the Wickes Connected Retail Media network (launched March 2026 with Epsilon using the COREid identity graph), Productcaster ecommerce tooling (via Summit agency), and CRM/loyalty infrastructure supporting trade and consumer segments.

Revenue is generated through one-time retail purchases (DIY, TradePro supplies) and professional services (Design & Installation). In May 2024 Wickes acquired a 51% stake in Solar Fast (Gas Fast Ltd) for £41.1m, with an option to acquire the remaining 49% within five years, extending the model into home energy installations (solar, gas boilers, heat pumps) targeting a £1.5bn annual UK market by 2028. The company employs ~8,000 colleagues, reports 79% engagement, and has announced a store-network expansion from 230+ to 300 locations alongside a £10m share buyback programme.

Name

Wickes

Legal name

Wickes Group Plc

Website

https://wickesplc.co.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Wickes Group Plc is a UK home improvement retailer serving Local Trade, Design & Installation, and DIY customers through 230+ stores and e-commerce, with FY2025 revenue of £1,636.2m. Following its 2024 acquisition of a 51% stake in Solar Fast, Wickes is expanding into home energy installations and launching a retail media network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Improvement Retail

NAICS

Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers (4491), Home Furnishings Retailers (44912), Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers (449)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-Price DIY, Hardware & Home Improvement General Merchandise Retail (CRAEACAI)

Keywords

• Home improvement retail
• DIY products
• Trade supplies
• Kitchen installation
• Building materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Watford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DIY Retail: Retail sales of home improvement products to consumers, including curated product ranges, providing quality products at right prices with advice, guidance and knowledge.
2. TradePro (Local Trade): Sales to trade professionals including trade-trusted brands and competitive pricing (always 10% cheaper), serving local trade customers through dedicated trade accounts.
3. Design & Installation: Full-service offering from concept to completion, including all finishing touches, serving customers requiring installation services for kitchens, bathrooms, and other home improvements.
4. Solar & Energy Installation: Home energy installations including solar panels, gas boilers, and heat pumps through Solar Fast subsidiary (51% owned). Solar Fast installed over 3,700 projects and generated £33.1m revenue with £3.9m profit before tax (year ending April 2023).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wickes is a UK home improvement retailer selling DIY products, trade materials, kitchens, bathrooms and home fittings through 230+ stores and an e-commerce platform. It serves three segments: Local Trade (TradePro with 10% cheaper pricing), Design & Installation (full-service kitchen, bathroom and home improvement projects), and DIY Retail (curated products with advice). It also sells and installs home energy solutions (solar panels, boilers, heat pumps) through its 51%-owned Solar Fast subsidiary.

Product overview

Wickes is a UK-based home improvement retailer operating a digitally-led, service-enabled business model split across three customer segments: Local Trade (TradePro), Design & Installation, and DIY Retail. The Local Trade segment serves trade professionals with dedicated products and pricing, while Design & Installation provides end-to-end project services. The DIY segment offers curated product ranges for consumer projects. Through its 51%-owned subsidiary Wickes Solar (which acquired Solar Fast in 2024), the company has expanded into home energy installations including solar panels, gas boilers, and heat pumps. Additionally, Wickes Connected Retail Media enables brands to advertise across Wickes' digital and physical channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DIY Retail
• TradePro (Local Trade)
• Design & Installation
• Wickes Solar (Solar Fast)
• Wickes Connected Retail Media

Quantifiable outcome

• 14.4% increase in adjusted profit before tax to £49.9m (FY2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UK Government (Minister for Energy Consumers)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Wickes participated in government roundtable with Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey to discuss plug-in balcony solar panels. The consultation aims to set guidelines for selling these products that could launch at around £400.
• Protec (ProplexRE)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 May 2026Protec launched ProplexRE, a temporary protection board made from at least 60% post-consumer recycled polypropylene, at Wickes stores. Product is part of GreenCircle Certified ClosedLoop Remanufacturing Scheme.
• Kimberley WalshminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 March 2026Girls Aloud star and TV presenter Kimberley Walsh launched 'The Kimberley Loves with Wickes Range' including paint shades (Soft Honey and Pale Clover) and luxury marble mosaic tiles.
• EpsiloncoreTechnology or Integration · 2 March 2026Wickes partnered with Epsilon to develop Wickes Connected Retail Media network, powered by Epsilon's COREid identity graph. The platform provides onsite and offsite advertising capabilities for brands targeting the home improvement market.
• CitySprint (DPD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025CitySprint, owned by DPD, extended partnership with Wickes until December 31, 2027. Collaboration includes reduced delivery prealert window from five hours to four and ability for customers to specify delivery instructions via tracking links.
• Summit (Hull-based marketing agency)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 December 2025Yorkshire-based marketing agency Summit renewed three-year partnership with Wickes for digital growth support including paid media, organic search, and affiliate activity. Deal expands use of Productcaster's ecommerce technology tools.
• Solar Fast (Gas Fast Ltd)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2024Wickes completed acquisition of 51% stake in Gas Fast Ltd (parent company of Solar Fast) for £41.1 million after FCA approval. Solar Fast specializes in solar panel and gas boiler installations with plans to expand into heat pumps. Wickes retains option to purchase remaining 49% over five years.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Travis Perkins plc: Travis Perkins is the UK's largest distributor of building materials and former parent of Wickes (demerged in 2021). It serves trade professionals in timber, plumbing, heating, and general building supplies, overlapping directly with Wickes' TradePro segment and Supply & Fit categories.
• Kingfisher plc: Kingfisher is the largest home improvement retailer in Europe, operating B&Q and Screwfix in the UK. It is Wickes' primary competitor across DIY retail (B&Q) and trade (Screwfix/TradePoint), with materially greater scale, supply chain, and brand resources.
• Saint-Gobain Distribution UK (Graham Plumbers' Merchant, Jewsons): Saint-Gobain operates Graham, Jewson, and other UK building merchants supplying plumbing, heating, timber, and general building materials. It overlaps with Wickes' trade supplies business and serves the same trade professional customer base.

Regional players

• IKEA UK: IKEA UK operates home furnishings and kitchen showrooms offering design, supply, and installation services. It competes with Wickes' Design & Installation segment in kitchens and home furnishings, though its model is more self-assembly-oriented and less trade-focused.

Direct peers

• Homebase: Homebase is a UK home and garden improvement retailer operating physical stores and online. It directly competes with Wickes' DIY retail segment across categories like kitchens, bathrooms, decorating, and gardening products, with overlapping customer demographics.
• Magnet Trade: Magnet Trade is the trade-only arm of Magnet Kitchens, supplying kitchens, bedrooms, and joinery products to trade professionals. It competes with Wickes' TradePro and Design & Installation segments, particularly in kitchen supply for builders and developers.
• Howden Joinery Group plc: Howdens is the UK's leading kitchen and joinery supplier, selling to trade customers through a depot network. It competes directly with Wickes' Design & Installation segment for kitchen projects and shares the trade-customer model with Wickes' TradePro.
• B&Q (Kingfisher subsidiary): B&Q is the UK's largest DIY and home improvement retailer, part of Kingfisher. It is Wickes' closest direct competitor in DIY retail, operating a similar store-based model with comparable product categories including kitchens, bathrooms, decorating, and building materials.

Emerging players

• BOXT (Boiler and Home Services): BOXT is a UK digital-first installer of boilers, solar panels, heat pumps, and EV chargers. It competes with Wickes' Solar Fast subsidiary in residential energy installations and represents the digitally-enabled model Wickes' energy strategy aims to counter.
• octopus energy: Octopus Energy is a UK energy supplier expanding into home energy installations including solar panels and heat pumps. It competes with Wickes' Solar Fast subsidiary in the residential solar installation market targeted at £1.5bn by 2028.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wickesdiy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8w9GqZ3jWJlIl8GwwiW7-A
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wickes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wickes