Smiths News expects annual results to beat market forecasts after football fans snapped up a record haul of World Cup collectables.
The shares rose 4% to 70p in early trading.
Analysts had been expecting adjusted operating profit of £37.2 million for the year to 29 August.
The newspaper and magazine wholesaler said the men's FIFA World Cup contributed more than £3 million, its biggest boost yet from the tournament.
Demand for collectables was stronger than expected in the second half, lifting the news and magazines business.
International football tends to give Smiths News a lift every other year, thanks to the timing of the World Cup and European Championships.
Going national
Trading in the new financial year has started positively.
The company has also begun building a national distribution network to service new contracts won from publishers including News UK and Associated Newspapers.
The first of those goes live in July 2027, expanding its reach from over 22,000 customers to more than 38,000.
Chief executive Jonathan Bunting said the group was well positioned for growth, helped by expansion into areas such as recycling.
Smiths News will give more detail on the financial impact of the expansion with full-year results on 4 November.
