Shares in Purplebricks slumped on the stock market yesterday after it delivered its preliminary half-year results.

They finished 9% or 36p down, at 361p, according to the London Stock Exchange.

This was despite chief executive Michael Bruce saying that the results showed “a great first half” with “strong trading”.

In the UK, he said the firm was continuing its growth, with expansion in Australia on track and the launch into the US in September “ahead of schedule”.

Its results for the six months to the end of October show UK revenues of nearly £40m, with the forecast for full-year revenue upgraded to £84m. Its Australian business brought in £6.8m and its USA business £100,000.

Purplebricks reported a rise in UK EBITDA (profits after costs and depreciation have been stripped out) to £4.7m, and an operating profit of £3.2m.

However, investors yesterday appeared far more concerned at group pre-tax losses of £8.2m, up from £2.8m the year before, despite group revenue soaring 150% to £46.8m, up from £18.7m in the same period last year.

While the shares fall could be due to a slowdown in the UK housing market, there has also been talk on investor websites about Purplebricks’ prospects in the US.

One contributor said that Purplebricks could join the long list of British companies that have tried to make it in the States and failed. High-profile firms which have tried to crack the American market include Tesco and Marks & Spencer, while in the property world, both Foxtons and Fine & Country have tried to establish themselves in the States.

Purplebricks itself said it had been a “bold decision” to enter the American marketplace.

However, there was speculation that Purplebricks sounded less than confident and may have bitten off more than it can chew when it said it continued “to believe there is a substantial opportunity” in the American market.

There has also been considerable speculation over Purplebricks’ biggest investor, fund manager Neil Woodford.

He holds 28.31% of the company (according to the Financial Times), with Purplebricks being the third biggest holding in his beleaguered Patient Capital Trust which has been looking at Purplebricks as its star investment.

Yahoo Finance yesterday put together this chart showing the marked differences between Purplebricks’ revenue and actual earnings.