Fuller, Smith & Turner (LSE:FSTA) expects full-year profit to beat market forecasts after a summer of World Cup football and warm weather helped lift takings at its pubs.
Christmas bookings are already 16% ahead of where they stood this time last year.
The pubs and hotels group made £28.2 million in adjusted profit before tax in the six months to 26 September, up 25% from £22.5 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 6.5% to £220.9 million.
Fuller’s raised its interim dividend from 7.85p to 8.35p a share.
Drinks sales rose 6.4% at pubs and hotels that Fuller’s operated in both periods, while food sales rose 4.6%.
Rooms were the strongest part of the business, with accommodation sales up 8.9%.
The group also sold more across all three categories, so higher prices alone cannot account for the growth.
Sales at comparable sites were still up 5.8% in the 32 weeks to 7 November.
Fuller’s has also completed the purchase of 12 pubs and plans to invest £19 million across its estate in the second half of the financial year.
