Revenue rose to £1.015bn, up from £912m in the same period of 2013, Grafton said in a trading update released today.
In the UK, which accounts for 90% of Grafton’s revenue, better weather and growth in the RMI and housebuilding markets boosted sales by 11.1%.
In Ireland, continuing recovery in the DIY retailing business increased sales by 5.5%.
"Our UK and Irish merchanting businesses have benefited from an improved market backdrop which, combined with our organic growth plans, means the Group is well placed to build on its strong first-half performance," said chief executive officer Gavin Slark.
Grafton’s interim results will be released on August 27 and the company expects them to show "a signficant imrovement" on the first half of 2013.
