The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE) is wavering a bit as the markets await the next decisions from central banks in the UK and Europe, dropping 28 points to 6,728 by late morning today on weak trading volumes. The index is still being held back by falling mining prices too, after the latest disappointing Chinese factory news.
But some shares are on the up today. Here are three responding well to news:
Galliford Try
Galliford Try (LSE: GFRD) shares picked up 11p (1%) to 1,215p this morning after the housebuilding and construction firm released a first-half trading update in which it said it is “Anticipating a record half year profit“.
The company invested in its land bank during the period, and as a result saw net debt rise to £90m from £58m a year previously. But there has been a 20% rise in sales (including reservations and contracts) to £652m, with an average selling price up 16% to £288,000.
Galliford’s share price is now up nearly 60% over the past 12 months, with a forecast 15% rise in full-year EPS suggesting a P/E of just under 15.
Interserve
Support services firm Interserve (LSE: IRV) also released an update today, ahead of full-year results, and saw a 14.3p (2.2%) share price rise to 662p.
The company told us that it has “continued to perform well and in-line with expectations“, and it reiterated its full-year guidance. So we should be seeing pretty flat earnings this year, with growth picking up in 2014.
Forecasts put the shares on a P/E of 14, dropping to 12.5 next year, with dividend yields around the 3.5% mark.
Domino’s Pizza Group
Domino’s Pizza Group (LSE: DOM) saw its shares slump towards the end of 2013, but since a low point in early December the price has recovered about 10% to 509p. That includes a 6.6p (1.3%) gain today on the back of a final-quarter trading update which said “Domino’s is pleased to announce that trading has been particularly strong in the period buoyed by exceptional like-for-like sales growth“.
Total sales rose 15.6% to £170.4m in the quarter, with like-for-like sales up 10.9%. Over the whole year, sales gained 12.2% with like-for-like up 5.2%.