LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Price comparison websiteMoneysupermarket.Com Group said people switching energysuppliers to avoid big rises in bills gave it a strong start tothe fourth quarter and would help it beat earnings expectationsfor the year.
The company, whose website helps customers search for dealson insurance, utilities and other financial products, saidrevenues in the first weeks of October were up 25 percent on ayear ago, while revenues for the proceeding third quarter were 5percent ahead.
"Revenues from energy switching in particular have been verystrong as consumers sought better deals in the face of rapidlyrising domestic fuel bills announced by the majority of themajor providers in the second half of October," it said onWednesday.
Energy suppliers including market leader Centrica and SSEannounced big rises in energy charges last month, with Centricaraising prices by an average 9.2 percent.
Moneysupermarket.Com said it expected full-year coreearnings to be a mid-single digit percentage ahead of currentconsensus expectations, which stand at 78.4 million pounds($125.8 million) according to the company.
The group also said it had appointed Matthew Price,currently finance director at Whitbread's Costa Coffee,as its new finance director. He will start in the first quarterof 2014, the company said.