Balfour Beatty Eyes 20% Order Book Surge in 2025

British infrastructure firm Balfour Beatty is forecasting a robust 20% increase in its order book for 2025, projecting it to reach £18.4bn. This substantial growth is primarily attributed to strong activity within the UK Construction sector, significantly bolstered by over £3.5bn in new power generation contracts secured during the year. The company also anticipates its revenue for 2025 will exceed 2024 figures by more than 5%, driven by progress in key growth areas like UK energy and US buildings.

Underlying profit from Balfour Beatty's earnings-based businesses is expected to surpass last year's £252m, with UK Construction and Support Services leading the gains, though partially offset by lower profits from US Construction. Furthermore, the group anticipates between £30m and £40m in gains from infrastructure investment disposals in 2025. In the UK, steady delivery in Construction Services targets a 3% profit from operations margin, excluding insurance recovery.

Notable infrastructure projects contributing to this outlook include the completion of the Bromford tunnel for High Speed Two, work at Hinkley Point C, and the commencement of earthworks at the Net Zero Teesside carbon capture site. Financial close on the Sizewell C nuclear installation alone added approximately £3bn to the order book. In the US, the buildings business expects nearly 25% revenue growth, with its order book projected to expand by over 10%.