UK plc profits jumped 13.7% in Q3, according to the new Profit Watch UK from The Share Centre, which analyses the latest quarterly and half-year results from the UK’s listed companies. The increase in profits was almost twice as fast as the 7.6% increase in company revenue, indicating that the average profits margin for UK plc expanded comfortably since the same period last year.
The Share Centre’s index of UK revenues rose to 159.0, an increase of almost three fifths since 2007. Over the last twelve months, all listed companies have delivered revenue of just over £2.0 trillion for the first time on record. The index of profits also continued to rebound, rising to 121.8. That means profits are now just over a fifth higher than they were in 2007. This marks a huge recovery from a low point for UK profits reached two years ago. In fact, the £217.9bn in profits earned over the last twelve months has finally broken the all-time record last set in 2011.
With this latest set of positive results, UK plc has now reported rising revenue for nine consecutive quarters, the longest period of expansion since the immediate aftermath of the Great Recession of 2009. Profits have risen for six consecutive quarters.
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