LONDON, July 2, 2026, 21:03 BST
- Compass Group was quoted at $33.25/$33.27 after the London close, up $1.13, or 3.53%.
- The gain beat the FTSE 100’s 1.67% rise and added about $1.9 billion to market value on delayed data.
- The move came before Compass’s July 21 third-quarter trading update, with no new profit statement in the past 48 hours.
- Consensus compiled by the company sees FY2026 organic revenue growth of 7.2% and underlying operating profit of $3.74 billion.
Compass Group PLC (LON:CPG) jumped more than twice as fast as the FTSE 100 Index (INDEXFTSE:UKX) on Thursday, a move that put focus back on the contract caterer’s dollar share quote and its July 21 trading update, rather than any fresh earnings release.
The stock was quoted at $33.25 to sell and $33.27 to buy after the London market close, up $1.13, or 3.53%, on volume of about 2.05 million shares. The FTSE 100 closed 1.67% higher at 10,652.87. Hargreaves Lansdown also showed the shares up 3.53% and the market closed, with delayed prices.
| July 2 delayed market data | Compass Group | FTSE 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Quote / close | $33.25 sell / $33.27 buy | 10,652.87 |
| Day change | +$1.13 / +3.53% | +174.53 / +1.67% |
| Previous close | $32.03 | 10,478.34 |
| Day high | $33.86 | 10,694.94 |
| 52-week range | $26.00-$36.2736 | 8,774.66-10,934.94 |
The day’s move added roughly $1.9 billion to Compass’s equity value, based on AJ Bell’s delayed market capitalisation of $56.38 billion and the 3.53% share gain. The shares remained about 8% below their $36.2736 year high, so the rally did not take the stock back to last year’s peak.
The share move was not matched by a new profit release. Compass’s latest regulatory item in the past 48 hours was a July 1 total voting rights notice, while its half-year results were published on May 11. The next scheduled trading event is the third-quarter update on July 21.
That matters because Compass changed the trading currency of its London ordinary shares from sterling pence to U.S. dollars on April 1. The company said the London Stock Exchange restated historic share price data using a March 31 rate of 1 GBp to $0.0132080. The shift means daily London trading is now read first in dollars, the same currency Compass uses for reporting.
The valuation now leaves less room for a soft update. Compass’s own consensus, last updated June 19, shows analysts expecting FY2026 revenue of $50.7 billion, underlying operating profit of $3.743 billion and constant-currency underlying operating profit growth of 11.2%.
| Compass consensus | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Organic revenue growth | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Revenue | $50.7 bln | $54.4 bln |
| Underlying operating profit | $3.743 bln | $4.067 bln |
| Underlying operating profit growth, constant currency | 11.2% | 8.7% |
At the half year, Compass reported revenue of $25.0 billion, underlying operating profit of $1.84 billion, an operating margin of 7.4%, free cash flow of $825 million and an interim dividend of 25.5 cents a share. Organic revenue rose 7.2%, client retention was 96%, and new business wins reached $4.1 billion.
Chief Executive Dominic Blakemore said then that Compass had “great momentum” and that its “pipeline is broad-based”. He also said the group expected 2026 underlying operating profit growth above 11%, with organic revenue growth of about 7%. Compass Group Corporate Website
Peer data gave the stock another push. Sodexo SA EPA:SW rose 8% in Paris on Thursday after the French caterer reported third-quarter revenue of 6.2 billion euros, up 2% organically, and raised its full-year organic revenue growth forecast to 1.2%-1.5% from 0.5%-1%. Sodexo Chief Executive Thierry Delaporte cited “resilient demand”. Scottish Widows Investments
| Latest read-through | Compass Group | Sodexo |
|---|---|---|
| Latest company update | May 11 half-year results | July 2 third-quarter update |
| Latest organic revenue growth | 7.2% H1 | 2.0% Q3 |
| Profit/margin guide | FY operating profit growth above 11% | FY underlying margin 3.2%-3.4% |
| July 2 share move | +3.53% in London | +8% at 1000 BST in Paris |
The broader market also helped. AJ Bell’s Dan Coatsworth called Thursday’s UK rally a “‘bad news is good news’ situation” after weaker U.S. jobs data eased concern over Federal Reserve rate rises. The FTSE 100 finished at its highest close since April 17, according to Sharecast data carried by Scottish Widows. Scottish Widows Investments
Compass’s interim dividend timetable is the next smaller test for holders. The last day for currency elections is July 6, the sterling rate is due on July 14, and the dividend payment date is July 30.
