B&Q owner Kingfisher has revealed profits soared above £1 billion last year as the DIY boom seen throughout the Covid-19 pandemic continued. Bosses said the extra cash would be handed out to shareholders through dividends and buying up stock to boost the share price, with £550 million returned to investors. However, the company saw a marked fall in sales in the three months to the end of January, including a rare drop in sales at its popular Screwfix stores. The company, which also owns DIY stores in France, Poland, Iberia and Romania, added that since the war in Ukraine started it has removed Russian and Belarusian products from its shelves. Kingfisher said it was also in discussions with suppliers to ensure products were not being sourced from either country, saying they were “shocked and deeply concerned” at the Ukrainian invasion. The company sold its Castorama Russia business in September 2020. …