London Markets: This unheralded equipment rental company has been the top U.K. blue chip of the year

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The unheralded equipment rental company Ashtead is set to wrap up the year as the top performing U.K. blue chip.

Ashtead
AHT,
-1.86%
shares have surged 75% this year.

In the fiscal first half ending Oct. 31, Ashtead adjusted earnings per share jumped 43% on 18% revenue growth. Ashtead operates Sunbelt Rentals, the second-largest rental equipment company in North America.

Ashtead’s stock price performance outpaced Glencore
GLEN,
-0.32%,
the mining giant and metals trading firm, which surged 63%, and aerospace parts group Meggitt
MGGT,
+0.03%,
which jumped 59%.

Ocado Group
OCDO,
+0.24%,
the online grocery delivery company, slumped 27% as shoppers returned to stores, and FanDuel owner Flutter Entertainment
FLTR,
+1.50%
slipped 24%.

The FTSE 100
UKX,
+0.05%,
up 0.1% on Thursday, has climbed 15% this year, underperforming its major European rivals, with the French CAC 40 nearly doubling the U.K. performance.