Galliford Try Holdings PLC (LSE:GFRD, FRA:3WC), the UK construction group, said full year profit would come in at the top end of analysts' forecasts, which range from £51.4 million to £53.4 million.
The company, which builds schools, hospitals and water infrastructure under public sector frameworks, expects revenue for the year to 30 June to have risen around 3%.
That would mark a sixth consecutive year of growth in revenue, profit and cash.
Margins improved again year on year, moving the group towards its target of 4% by 2030.
Galliford Try ended the year with cash of £258.8 million, up from £237.6 million, and average month-end cash of £216.2 million, a rise of 21.0%.
The group has no bank debt, no pension liabilities and an undrawn revolving credit facility.
It also holds a portfolio of marketable Public Private Partnership assets, stakes in projects financed jointly by government and private investors, worth about £37.2 million.
The order book stood at £4.3 billion at the year-end, up from £4.1 billion, with about 90% of the new financial year's revenue already secured.
Galliford Try completed a £10 million buyback in the second half, cancelling 1,957,703 shares at an average price of about £5.11.
Operating profits funded £38.4 million of capital allocation during the year alongside roughly £20.3 million of dividends, covered 1.8 times.
In February, the group bought Nene Valley Fire and Acoustic, a passive fire prevention specialist, which it said was trading ahead of expectations.
Recent framework wins include the £15.4 billion Department for Education Construction Framework 25 and a £750 million affordable homes framework for Sovereign Network Group.
The group also secured a £60 million munitions handling facility at RAF Lakenheath and three schools worth £139 million.
Chief executive Bill Hocking pointed to the order book and pipeline as the basis for the company's confidence, and said the group would keep reinvesting in earnings-accretive growth.
