J D Wetherspoon plc reported sales results for the third quarter ended April 23, 2017. For the 13 weeks to 23 April 2017 like-for-like sales increased by 4.0% and total sales increased by 1.3%. Year-to-date like-for-like sales have increased by 3.5% and total sales have increased by 1.4%.

The company expects net debt at the end of financial year 2017 is now expected to be about £70 million higher than the level at the last financial year end, mainly as a result of expenditure on freehold reversions (pubs where the Company was previously the tenant) and share buybacks.

The company anticipates it will require like-for-like sales of about 3% to 4% in its next financial year 2018 to maintain profits at current levels.