Domino’s slice of market rises 7%

Late-night deliveries drove Domino’s Pizza’s slice of the takeaway market in the final quarter of 2013 as the company saw its sales increase by more than 7%.

The company reported that “late-night” was key, pushing sales in the three months to Dec 29 to €13.5m and annual sales to nearly €50m in Ireland.

Across its international operation, Domino’s posted a rise in fourth-quarter sales, steadying its shares which had been rattled by executive exits and a costly plan to expand in Germany.

Domino’s shares had fallen 20% in six months after its German operations suffered higher than anticipated losses and the group surprised investors last month by saying CEO Lance Batchelor would quit in April to join travel group Saga.

Sales in Britain at 670 outlets open for more than a year rose 10.9%

The advance was helped by growing online demand, a marketing push, and the mid-week timing of the Christmas break, before which many people were at home.

Domino’s said it expected full-year profit to be in line with the market consensus, which Reuters data shows at £47.91m (€ 57.9m) against the previous year’s £46.7m.