Liverpool city region timber merchant Edmund A Stephens sees annual pre-tax profits fall despite a rise in sales to almost £19m. Tony McDonough reports

Timber merchant Edmund A Stephens (EAS) is reporting a rise in annual sales to almost £19m although pre-tax profits have fallen.

Bootle-based EAS is one of the North West’s leading independent timber merchants. It was founded in 1978 by Edmund and Linda Stephens. Now the business is owned and run by their son Mick Stephens and his family.

In its annual accounts for the 12 months to November 30, 2025, filed on Companies House, EAS is reporting a 10.5% rise in revenues to £18.9m. However, pre-tax profits fell to £1.08m to £703,502.

Net assets were up slightly to £3.3m from £3.2m and shareholder dividends for the year totalled £425,442.

Writing in the annual report, Mick Stephens said: “The results for the year and the financial position at the end were considered satisfactory by the directors, with sales increasing on the prior year.”

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EAS supplies a range of timber products to the building industry including fencing, decking, packaging and flooring

In December 2024 LBN revealed the business had secured a seven-figure funding package from NatWest to acquire a second Merseyside site and Bromborough in Wirral. This is to support its expanding customer-base in Chester and North Wales.