August 22nd, 2007
Hotels and coffee boost Whitbread
Whitbread expects full-year figures to hit the top end of forecasts - for pretax profits of [pound]202m-[pound]214m for the year to 1 March - after strong performances at its Premier Travel Inn hotels and Costa Coffee shops. The group is seen as a bid target due to its property assets. The US investor Starwood Capital has taken a small stake but Alan Parker, chief executive, denied Whit- bread was in bid talks.