Market watch: Booker and Domino’s deliver updates

TWO of this year’s best-performing stocks – Booker and Domino’s Pizza – will post updates this week in what should be a quiet post-Easter period for corporate news.

Cash and carry chain Booker supplies nearly 500,000 businesses including corner shops, pubs and restaurants from its 172 sites across the UK, as well as Marks & Spencer, HMV, WH Smith’s shops in transport hubs and Odeon cinemas.

On Thursday the firm reports on trading for the three months to 31 March, ahead of its release of full-year profits expected in May. Analysts expect the chain to post full-year pre-tax profits of £95.7 million, up from £90.8m.

Britons’ appetite for fast food continues to drive growth at pizza chain Domino’s, which delivers its first-quarter trading update on Thursday.

While heavy snowfall affected its performance, Domino’s said it made a “solid” start in the first seven weeks of 2013, with like-for-like sales in the UK stores up by 1.6 per cent. The chain said that would have been 2.6 per cent growth without the snow. Analysts at Numis expect sales to have picked up in recent weeks.

Week ahead

Tomorrow: Market closed

Tuesday: Eurasia Drilling, Lo-Q

Wednesday: Andor Technology

Thursday: Amec, Booker, Domino’s Pizza

Friday: LSR Group (AGM)