WH Smith has delayed the publication of its annual financial results as the retailer continues to grapple with the aftermath of accounting irregularities.
The company informed investors it now anticipates releasing its latest figures on Friday December 19, having previously scheduled them for Tuesday December 16.
The firm explained to shareholders that the postponement would allow auditor PwC "further time to complete the required audit procedures".
This represents the most recent in a series of delays, with the results initially scheduled for publication on November 12.
The postponement follows Carl Cowling's departure as WH Smith's chief executive last month, after a Deloitte investigation substantiated the accounting difficulties.
The retailer, which divested its º£½ÇÊÓƵ high street operations earlier this year to concentrate on travel locations, first disclosed accounting issues in August.
Share prices plummeted by as much as 40% after the company uncovered that its North American trading profit had been overstated during a financial review.
The business subsequently reduced its profit forecasts.
Last month, an independent examination by Deloitte identified several "shortcomings" as the group had overstated US business profits by up to £50 million.
WH Smith cautioned that it anticipates profits in its American operations for the delayed full-year results to fall within a range of £5 million to £15 million – a significant drop from the £55 million initially projected by the market and the £25 million revised guidance issued when the accounting problem first emerged.
WH Smith has now shifted its attention entirely to its 1,300 outlets in international travel locations – including airports, train stations and hospitals – following the sale of its approximately 480 high street stores to Modella Capital, the owner of Hobbycraft, in June.
As a result of that deal the WH Smith brand is vanishing from British high streets to be replaced by TGJones.
