INTERVIEW: Domino's Eyes 2H Outperformance

12th Jul 2010 09:57

By Hannah Benjamin Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES LONDON (Dow Jones)--Pizza delivery company Domino's Pizza UK & IRL PLC (DOM.LN) Monday said it is confident of outperforming analyst expectations in its second half, although it expects trading to be tougher than during the first half. "It would be lovely if we could carry on growing at the current rate but realistically it's probably not going to happen. Analysts have penned us in for about 4% to 5% second-half like-for-like sales growth and we're happy with that but we have initiatives in place to accelerate that level of growth," Chief Financial Officer Lee Ginsberg told Dow Jones Newswires. The company grew comparable sales by 14% in its first half, ended June 27, as it benefited the soccer World Cup and its sponsorship of prime-time television program Britain's Got Talent. It faces tougher second-half comparatives as in July last year it introduced its "Two For Tuesdays" promotion, which boosted sales. Domino's recently launched a new range of sandwiches to tap into the lunchtime market, as many of its stores had previously been shut during those hours. A full lunchtime menu launches at the end of August, which Ginsberg expects will increase sales. -By Hannah Benjamin, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9298; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 12, 2010 04:57 ET (08:57 GMT)