Builders fail to cement merger

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated:

 

Matchmakers remain excited about marriage prospects for builders, but getting them to the altar is not easy. Alfred McAlpine and Bryant have ended their £648m engagement even before it became official.

Mid-ranked companies such as McAlpine, valued at £225m and unchanged at 221p, need to grow to compete with leaders such as Berkeley and Barratt.

Bryant, down 5p to 140 1/2p and worth £423m, has size on its side, but needs a new chief executive to replace Andrew MacKenzie who retires this year.

Steve Charnock at CCF Charterhouse says: 'The industry is ripe for consolidation because it doesn't need so many builders and contractors.'

Those companies with south-east exposure, such as Countryside (£102m), Crest Nicholson (£156m) and Prowting (£91m) look the most attractive.

Most watched Money videos