Marshalls full-year revenue falls

(Reuters) - Building materials company Marshalls (MSLH.L) on Friday said revenue for 2008 fell 6 percent on lower sales to the domestic market, but expected underlying trading results to be in line with current estimates.

For the year ended December 31, the company reported revenue of 378 million pounds, compared with 403 million pounds in the previous year.

Sales to the public sector and commercial market, which represent about 59 percent of Marshalls' sales, rose 1 percent. This was offset by sales to the domestic market, which were down 15 percent.

Six analysts on average were expecting the company to post an underlying pretax profit of 25.9 million pounds, on revenue of 382.0 million pounds for the year, according to Reuters Estimates.

The company, which is reducing the scale of investment in its consumer initiatives, said the overall demand outlook remained uncertain.

Demand in the commercial and industrial sectors remained weak with project delays or cancellations due to deteriorating economic conditions, Marshalls said in a statement.

The company, however, maintained its interim dividend at 4.55 pence.

($1=.6579 Pound)

(Reporting by Tresa Sherin Morera in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)