SGH chief executive Ryan Stokes says the conglomerate will not throw money at a big second bid for BlueScope Steel as it outlined a lacklustre six months with its building materials division Boral a stand-out performer.

But the billionaire businessman whose family controls SGH said he was keen on an acquisition that would boost growth at the company. Boral, which SGH purchased two years ago, has been a stand-out over the first half of the financial year with its two other main divisions, equipment supplier WesTrac and hiring business Coates, reporting falling earnings.