AMEC plc (AMEC), BTG plc (BTG), and Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (DPZ): Why This Group Should Beat the FTSE 100 Today

LONDON — The FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) looks to be continuing yesterday’s fall today, down 0.35% to 6,398 points as of 8:20 a.m. EDT. Today looks more like a day for the small caps that are beating top-tier shares. We have central-bank meetings to look forward to, and with first-quarter economic figures not expected until April 25, we could be in for a relatively calm period.

But there are plenty of companies beating the indexes. Here are three achieving that today.

AMEC plc (LON:AMEC)
AMEC plc (LON:AMEC) shares are up 3.6% to 1,118 pence after a first-quarter update from the oil and gas services firm confirmed that things are going well. Chief executive Samir Brikho told us that “AMEC plc (LON:AMEC) has performed in line with expectations in the first three months of the year,” highlighting the company’s recent 68 million pound contract with BP for commissioning two new oil platforms. AMEC plc (LON:AMEC)’s order book stands at 3.7 billion pounds (up from 3.6 billion pounds at the end of December).

The full year should be in line with expectations, which currently suggest a 7% rise in earnings per share, with a 6% dividend rise in the cards.

BTG plc (LON:BTG)
Shares in BTG plc (LON:BTG) have picked up 1% to reach 362 pence after the specialist health care company told us of a “strong financial performance” in an update ahead of full-year results due on May 20. Revenue should be around 230 million pounds, with the firm’s specialty pharmaceuticals and licensing and biotechnology divisions picked out as especially good performers — and that’s a significant boost from January’s estimate of 205 million pounds to 215 million pounds.

Analysts are currently expecting to see pre-tax profit of about 41 million pounds, with a 10% rise in earnings per share.

Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ)
A first-quarter update from Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) sent its shares up 6.6% to 609 pence. System sales rose 12.3% to 164.1 million pounds, with like-for-like sales in mature U.K. stores up 6.6% despite the snow affecting the earlier part of the period. Like-for-like sales in the Republic of Ireland rose by 8.1% in euro terms.

Trading for the full year looks like it should be in line with current expectations, indicating a possible 15% rise in earnings per share, though it is clearly early days yet.

The article Why AMEC, BTG, and Domino’s Pizza Group Should Beat the FTSE 100 Today originally appeared on Fool.com is written by Alan Oscroft.

Alan Oscroft has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BTG.

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