Under-fire Persimmon delivers goods

● Housebuilder upbeat for 2018 as volumes and selling prices firm

buyers to purchase newbuild properties with deposits of just 5 per cent.

Historically low interest rates have also helped, say City analysts.

Fairburn said ongoing strong demand would help the market in 2018, although he flagged concerns over Brexit. He added: “Whilst conditions in the new-build housing market remain supportive, the negotiations associated with the UK’S exit from the EU, including both the transitional arrangements and the terms of the longer term relationship, together with the nature of UK’S trading relationships with its other global partners, present key uncertainties that will have a substantial influence on market outcomes.

“However, with a long-term unfulfilled demand for housing, we believe that UK fundamentals remain strong.”

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Persimmon is selling more houses at higher prices, and quite simply that spells increased profits for the company.

“The housebuilder is doing so well it’s sending a wall of cash back to shareholders in the form of special dividends, with £2.35 per share being paid in the next five months alone.”