Has the continuing presence of lockdown measures been a boon for Domino’s Pizza Group PLC (LON:DOM), on Thursday we’ll find out.
It is certainly likely to have supported demand for home ordering and delivery, which in turn is expected to deliver a bigger profit slice in the third quarter.
The company reported 5.5% sales growth in its second quarter, lifted by a 22% rise in deliveries and offsetting a sharp decline in collections and keeping it ahead of its dine-in competitors such as Pizza Express and Pizza Hut, both of whom have felt the sting of lockdown measures.
While Domino’s is still on an expansionary footing, previously announcing around 5,000 new jobs, investors are more likely to be concerned about the firm’s ongoing dispute with its franchisees over profit sharing as well as labour and ingredient costs which could take a bite out of the bottom line.
Dunelm updates as it heads into peak season
Thursday will also bring an update from homeware retailer Dunelm Group plc (LON:DNLM), although investors may still be in a bit of grumpy mood after the company said in its final results in September that it was skipping its final dividend for its last full year to save cash ahead of its peak winter trading season.
With this in mind, the outlook is likely to be key, as well as whether the firm is worried that the return of stricter lockdown measures could impact its customer footfall across the UK.
However, the company previously reported a triple-digit spike in home delivery sales for the first two months of its current year, and with online now making up around a third of revenues investors will be hoping this can offset any weakness across the brick and mortar estate should lockdown make a return.
Thursday October 15
EU Council meeting
Trading updates: Domino’s Pizza Group PLC (LON:DOM), Dunelm PLC (LON:DNLM), Hays PLC (LON:HAS), Rio Tinto PLC (LON:RIO), Mondi PLC (LON:MNDI), Mediclinic International Plc (LON:MDC), Rathbone Bros PLC (LON:RAT), discoverIE Group PLC (LON:DSCV)
Interims: Centamin PLC (LON:CEY), Allied Minds PLC (LON:ALM)
AGMs: BHP PLC (LON:BHP)
FTSE 100 ex-dividends to knock 1.68 points off the index: Bunzl PLC (LON:BNZL), Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO)
Economic data: US weekly jobless claims; US Philly Fed manufacturing survey; NY Empire State manufacturing survey