Double digit sales growth for Whitbread

Whitbread has reported its trading performance for the 50 weeks to 13^th February 2014, and is ‘’on track to deliver full year results towards the top end of current expectations”.

Sales update (% change vs. prior year)

	Sales for the 11 weeks to 13^th February 2014		Sales for the 50 weeks to 13^th February 2014
	Like for like sales	Total sales	Like for like sales*¹	Total sales
Premier Inn	8.3%	15.2%	4.7%	13.3%
Restaurants	4.4%	5.8%	1.3%	3.7%
Hotels and Restaurants	6.6%	11.4%	3.4%	9.8%
Costa	7.3%	18.2%	5.8%	20.1%
Total	6.8%	14.0%	4.0%	13.2%

Andy Harrison, Chief Executive of Whitbread, comments:

“Whitbread delivered a strong fourth quarter, with total sales growth of 14.0% and like for like sales growth of 6.8%, driven by a particularly good Christmas trading period and, to a lesser extent, favourable weather comparatives in January.

“Premier Inn grew total sales by 15.2% and like for like sales by 8.3% in the fourth quarter, with a 5.7% increase in rooms available. We grew total revpar in London and the UK Regions by 7.0% and 9.6% respectively. We continue to invest in our product quality and the Premier Inn brand with the launch of “our best ever bed” campaign. This is a central pillar of our enhanced refurbishment programme.

“The performance of Whitbread Restaurants continued to improve and benefitted from the absence of snow with like for like sales growth of 4.4% in the quarter. We welcomed some 92,000 guests to our restaurants on Christmas Day with sales up 5.8%.

“Costa had an excellent fourth quarter with total sales growth of 18.2%, driven by 312 net new store openings in the year and 7.3% UK like for like sales growth. Our Christmas campaign was well received, with like for like store transactions up 6.1% in the quarter.

“The strong fourth quarter brings our year to date growth in total sales to 13.2% and like for like sales growth to 4.0%. This puts us on track to deliver full year results towards the top end of current expectations.”