Strong trading around the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Euro football championship boosted JD Wetherspoon (LON:JDW), it said today.
The pub group said like-for-like sales in the 11 weeks to July 8 increased by 6.1 per cent, and total sales increased by 11.9 per cent.
Meanwhile, in the year to date, like-for-like sales were up 3 per cent, while overall, the company sales increased by 9.2 per cent.
The firm's current year ends on July 29 this year and it expects to achieve what it called a "reasonable outcome".
The main challenges for the firm are continuing cost pressures resulting from government legislation, including increases in excise duty, business rates and carbon tax, it said.
The company also said it had opened 40 new pubs and closed three pubs since the beginning of the financial year.
It said it aimed to open around 20 to 30 pubs in the next financial year.
Shares in the pub chain were up 2.21 per cent, to change hands at 431 pence.