Pre-tax profit rose to £23.1m in the year ended 31 December 2008 from £19.8m a year before. Revenue increased 13.5% to £902.6m.

Costain's year-end forward order book rose 25% to £2bn, which includes £777m of secured work for 2009, it said.

Chairman David Allvey added, "Whilst external macro economic events, including the fall in equity markets and interest rates, will have an impact on net interest, the business continues to perform strongly and we are on course to deliver the board's expected operating result in 2009."