J D Wetherspoon shares (LON:JDW) touched a 52-week high of 814.50p today before settling in to the close at 795.50p, up 1.99% on the day. Today's move came as the firm issued a trading update, reporting a 5.1% increase in sales for the most recent quarter (to July 20th), bringing levels above pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
The pub chain's stock has been building momentum this year, with gains of 30.5% since the turn of 2025 indicative of the markets' confidence in its recovery and growth strategy.
Chairman Tim Martin, who founded JD Wetherspoon in 1979, remains a significant shareholder, owning approximately 23.9% of the company's shares. His continued leadership and investment are likely contributing to investor confidence with his comments confirming the outlook.
“Sales volumes, which were very slow post-pandemic, have recently overtaken pre-pandemic levels. Wine, for example, has shown strong growth, with Villa Maria from New Zealand and Prosecco from Italy both shooting the lights out. Spirits have improved in recent months and whisky volumes are significantly above pre-pandemic levels.
Tim Martin, Chairman of JD WetherspoonDespite the positive momentum, JD Wetherspoon faces rising costs. The company projects that taxes and business expenses will increase by approximately £60 million annually in 2025, including a significant increase in national insurance contributions.
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