Pub operator Enterprise Inns is trading well despite weak consumer spending and increasing legislative pressure and costs on its licensees.
In a trading statement today, the leased and tenanted pub giant said that operating and pre-tax profit would meet expectations for the six months ending 31 March despite these challenges.
Enterprise also said it was ahead of schedule on its share buy-back programme that it announced last November.
It intends to return a minimum of £200m to shareholders and is well on the way to meeting this milestone, having purchased 21.1 million shares and returned £191m.
By Chris Druce
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