Domino's CFO says analysts to lift forecasts

Wed Jan 7, 2009 8:03am GMT

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LONDON (Reuters) - Domino's Pizza UK & IRL Plc (DOM.L) expects analysts to upgrade earnings forecasts for 2008 and 2009, Chief Financial Officer Lee Ginsberg told Reuters.

Ginsberg said he expected analysts to lift 2008 pretax profit forecasts to between 23.1 million pounds and 23.2 million compared with the current consensus of 22.6 million.

For 2009, he expects analysts to raise pretax profit forecasts to just under 26 million pounds from around 25 million currently.

Ginsberg also said Domino's could exceed its target of opening 50 new stores in 2009.

"Given the strong demand from franchisees to grow and the opportunities from the pub fallouts and one or two other sectoral issues, we possibly could do a little more than that," he said.

Domino's opened 52 new stores in 2008, creating 1,500 new jobs.

(Reporting by Matt Scuffham; editing by Hans Peters)

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