Retailer Beacon Lighting has been pummelled on the market after warning recent sales have fallen short of expectations.
The earlier timing of the Easter break - an "important home renovation period" - took a toll on sales, along with weak consumer confidence, tough competition and reduced advertising, the company said.
"Sales during the past 10 weeks have not met management's expectations," Beacon said.
Subdued sales come after the group recently said it had experienced a positive start to the second half of the financial year, in terms of comparative sales.
Beacon shares dropped 34 cents, or 21.3 per cent, to $1.26.
It has a network of 91 stores selling lighting, ceiling fans and light globes, and achieved a 22 per cent increase in first half profit to $11.1 million.
The group's clients include residential home owners and occupiers and trade customers such as electricians, builders, architects and developers.
Beacon's weak sales contrasts with recent optimism about the home renovation sector from paint company Dulux, which on Tuesday said it expects renovators to help boost its full year profit.
The latest consumer confidence readings have also been upbeat - the ANZ/Roy Morgan consumer confidence rating rose by 1.1 per cent to 115.1 in the week to May 15.
Beacon said it is expecting to achieve earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the 2016 full year of between $28.2 million to $29.2 million, compared to $27.4 million in the previous year.
Group sales for the first 18 weeks of the second half of 2016 were 4.6 per cent ahead of the corresponding period, Beacon said.
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