Perfect pitch GoCompare hits high notes after profit boost

Gio Compario, the opera-singing mascot for GoCompare, hit all the right notes last year to help the price comparison site top forecasts in its maiden results.

The firm — founded by Hayley Parsons and spun off onto the stock market by former parent eSure in October — today said adjusted operating profit would be £30 million for 2016, the upper end of original forecasts and 30% higher than last year.

“It’s early days and this is a new team so it’s an important few months,” said chief executive Matthew Crummack. “Investors expect us to deliver.” Revenue was up 19% for 2016 to £142 million.

Gio Compario was brought back from the dead in 2015 despite complaints he was annoying. “Everyone has their own opinion,” Crummack said. “We’ve got good feedback from the latest ads.”

The stock was up 9.6% adding 6.50p to 74.25 today, slightly above its listing price after a tumble late last year.