British caterer Compass serves up second annual forecast upgrade this year
Q3 organic revenue growth beat expectations at 10.3%
Shares rise 4.9% to top of FTSE 100
Compass says pricing has moderated, in line with inflation
Adds CEO comments in paragraphs 3-4, analyst in paragraph 8
By Yadarisa Shabong
July 23 (Reuters) -Caterer Compass CPG.L raised its annual profit and revenue forecasts for the second time this year on Tuesday, after third-quarter revenue beat expectations as more people eat in office canteens rather than in pricier high-street restaurants.
Shares in the FTSE 100-listed company rose nearly 5% to the top of the London blue-chip index .FTSE.
"We're able to better manage inflation when we're able in particular to change our menu mix more than high street restaurants would be able to do," CEO Dominic Blakemore told analysts.
"So we believe that (the value) gap has widened through the last several years and made us more attractive to our consumers," he said, adding that even if the broader economic picture were to improve, that gap remains.
The world's largest catering group lifted its annual underlying operating profit growth forecast to above 15% and organic revenue above 10% for the year ending September. It had previously said profit and revenue would rise towards 15% and 10%, respectively.
Compass had emerged as a much bigger business from the pandemic as companies turned to outsourcing to meet their canteen needs, although it has had to contend with high food prices and increased labour costs.
However, as inflation eases, pricing has moderated, Compass said.
"There are underlying structural drivers feeding demand for outsourcing and that's playing into the group's hands. Regulation, and the value that bulk procurement offers are but a few," Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Derren Nathan equity said.
The British company, which caters tostaff and students at the likes of Microsoft MSFT.O, Shell SHEL.L and Harvard Business School, reported a 10.3% rise in organic revenue for the quarter ended June 30, on growth across its regions and sectors.
Analysts had expected an organic revenue growth of 9.5% for the quarter, according to a company-supplied consensus.
In the past eight months, Compass has exited several markets, including China and Brazil.
French rivalSodexo EXHO.PA, which is catering the Paris Olympics, had reported slower quarterly sales growth earlier this month, citing a slowdown in China.
Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Louise Heavens
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