Domino's Pizza First-half Pretax Profit Up On Strong Sales

12th Jul 2010 07:32

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Pizza delivery company Domino's Pizza UK & IRL PLC (DOM.LN) Monday posted an increase in first-half profit as sales got a boost from poor spring time weather and the soccer World Cup, but the group said it faces some "very tough" comparatives in its second half. The 25-year-old group said it has made a strong start to the year and while comparatives will get tougher, its new production warehouse in Milton Keynes provides "additional firepower" in terms of quality and efficiencies, while its franchisees continue to drive ongoing growth. In the six months to June 27 Domino's pretax profit increased to GBP17 million from GBP13 million a year earlier. Sales notched GBP91 million from GBP73.7 million a year earlier, boosted by a 61% surge in web-based sales. Online sales formed 32.7% of Domino's U.K. delivered sales in the half. Domino's said poor spring time weather was an "additional benefit" to sales, along with this summer's soccer World Cup, which finished Sunday. It remains on track to open 55 new stores this year and said comparable sales at its 553 stores open more than a year rose 13.7% in the half. Domino's lifted its interim dividend 28.6% to 4.5 pence a share from 3.5 pence a share. -By Hannah Benjamin, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9298; [email protected] Order free Annual Report for Domino's Pizza UK & IRL plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB00B1S49Q91 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 12, 2010 02:32 ET (06:32 GMT)