Say what you like about Domino's Pizza - great delivery, shame about the pizza - the company is a money-harvesting machine.
The third quarter interim management statement on Wednesday should see the pizza delivery outfit benefit from the UK's indifferent weather, which will have persuaded many hungry diners to stay at home and order in instead.
Credit Suisse reckons the firm should achieve like-for-like sales growth of 3.5%, down from 6.9% in the second quarter, as it is going up against tougher comparatives, while the second quarter received a boost from the Euro 2012 footie tournament.
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"The de-rating through 2011 rightly factored in a more modest growth outlook for the core UK business, and we see management commentary on Germany (bullish, but little detail) and Switzerland (roll-out) as more important share price catalysts," the Swiss broker said.
HomeServe, the international home emergency business, has been making progress resolving its UK issues, where it is looking to simplify and refocus the business.
All the while, in the background, the Financial Services Authority's (FSA's) investigation will be playing on management's minds.
The interim management statement will cover the less important first half of the financial year, so the outlook statement may be more significant than the raw numbers.
"We anticipate trading to be in line with expectations but, with the majority of new business traditionally won in H2 [second half], this won't necessarily be a reliable indicator of what to expect for the full year," Peel Hunt said.
The broker is forecasting half-year profit before tax of £20m.
"We will be looking out for any update on the response rates for the new UK
marketing material - we understand that responses to the first FSA approved
mailings that went out earlier in the year were disappointing," Peel Hunt revealed.
Panmure Gordon, meanwhile, notes: "Growth in its International operations has been seen."
"Encouragingly, new partners have been added in the US and retention levels have stayed high - suggesting that negative read-across from UK is not impacting. Test marketing is under way in Italy and Germany while progress is being made in France," Panmure Gordon said.
INTERIMS
IQE, Panmure Gordon & Co, S & U, Snoozebox Holdings, Trap Oil Group
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
British American Tobacco, Lancashire Holdings
INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Bovis Homes Group, Braime (T.F.& J.H.) Holdings, Braime (T.F.& J.H.) Holdings (Non-Voting), BrainJuicer Group, Brightside Group, British Smaller Companies VCT 2, Centrica, Christie Group, Derwent London, Dignity, Drax Group, Filtrona PLC, Good Energy Group, H.R. Owen, Invesco Perpetual UK Small Companies Inv Trust, IS Solutions, Kentz Corporation Ltd., M. P. Evans Group, Morgan Sindall Group, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, Netplay TV, Networkers International, North American Income Trust (The), Primary Health Properties, Quarto Group Inc., Real Estate Investors, Rotala, RSA Insurance Group, Smurfit Kappa Group, Vitec Group, Wynnstay Group
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Africa Opportunity Fund Ltd., Dow Chemical Co, Yamana Gold Inc.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)
MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)
New Homes Sales (US) (15:00)
SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Highland Gold Mining Ltd.
AGMS
Absolute Return Trust Ltd. GBP Shares, Intercede Group, Micro Focus International, Namibian Resources, Sirius Minerals, Sofia Property Fund Ltd., Sweett Group, WYG
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Atkins (WS), ICAP, Topps Tiles
IMSS
Domino's Pizza Group
UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
CBI Distributive Trades Surveys (11:00)
FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Anite, Development Securities, Hansard Global, Oxford Instruments, Photo-Me International
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