WH Smith's sales for the past year are on track to be 鈥渟lightly ahead鈥 of expectations as its travel business continues its recovery, the retailer has said.
The Swindon-based group revealed that total sales in the six months to August 31 were 65% of pre-pandemic levels from the same period in 2019.
It said it was boosted by improvement in the last eight weeks of the period, with group sales at 71% of 2019 levels, after a lift in travel trade as airport and train station stores saw footfall recover more.
海角视频 traveller numbers are still 鈥渟ignificantly down鈥 versus 2019 but the group highlighted the 鈥済radual recovery鈥 in activity in July and August.
The retailer said it would grow its 海角视频 travel arm despite uncertainty in the sector caused by Covid restrictions, with plans for four more stores in Scottish airports after previously announcing plans to expand its InMotion brand across 18 former Dixons Travel sites.
WH Smith said its North American business performed 鈥渨ell鈥 over the past two months, with sales in July and August at 93% of pre-pandemic levels.
Meanwhile, the firm said its high street business reported revenues at 85% of 2019 levels for the half-year to the end of August.
The retailer also told shareholders however that finance charges linked to recent bonds mean it currently expects its profit for the next financial year to be 鈥渁t the lower end of market expectations鈥.
In a statement, WH Smith said: 鈥淎s previously stated, we remain confident in revenues returning to pre-Covid levels in the next two to three years.
鈥淲hile there will be a return to good levels of profitability in the year ending August 2022, the trajectory of the recovery in travel remains uncertain.
鈥淎lthough the pace of recovery varies across our markets, we are financially strong and well placed to capitalise on the multiple growth opportunities in our key markets.鈥
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