Travis Perkins
TRAVIS Perkins could be about to assemble a pretty impressive deal. Buying BSS makes good sense, allowing Travis Perkins to challenge Wolseley in UK heating and plumbing, with almost a quarter of the market.
And together, the two firms will have much more clout, allowing them to bring wholesale materials in at a much lower price.
While Travis Perkins might be an old hand, it is BSS that has an entrepreneurial culture. That could help the firm grow at a faster rate than one might expect for such a large company.
Nor are the potential cost savings something that should be sniffed at. Numis reckons that there are around £21m of efficiencies to be found, enhancing earnings per share by 15 per cent in 2011.
Travis Perkins has picked a good time for its bid. Its first half results last week showed improving trends among both merchant builders and do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
BSS has already jumped as one would expect. But Travis Perkins also deserves another look: 1050p seems about right.