Improved figures on the books for WH Smith as it focuses on core products

The retailer, which has more than 1,000 stores across the UK, said its results for the year to August 31, due to be published in October, will be in line with market expectations.

Analysts expect pre-tax profits of around £93m, compared to £89m last year.

The group said both its travel business, which operates from more than 530 outlets at airports, train stations and motorway service areas, and its high street retail arm are continuing to deliver a good performance.

The upbeat assessment comes at a time when the retail sector is struggling, with companies such as fashion chain Jane Norman, wine merchant Oddbins and interior designer Habitat entering administration.

David Jeary, an analyst at broker Investec, said in light of recent market turmoil and weak high street trading the update was “clearly reassuring”.

He said: “The company does not usually issue a full year pre-close statement, so this is a clear message in our view that high street and overall trading has not deteriorated.”

Peter Smedley, an analyst at Charles Stanley Securities Research, said: “We still think that the stock market broadly gets the multiple investment attractions of WH Smith, hence our continued hold stance.”

Elsewhere, WH Smith announced the retirement of its travel division’s managing director, Simon Marinker, after 34 years with the company.

He will be replaced by the division’s chief operating officer Simon Smith.

WH Smith’s strategy recently has been to cut out products with low margins, such as CDs and DVDs, and focus on core areas of news, magazines, books and stationery, a move that has impacted sales but boosted profits.

In its last trading update, the company said total group sales fell by one per cent in the 18 weeks to July 2, and by 4 per cent on a like-for-like basis in the same period.

WH Smith has around 54 high street stores in Yorkshire, plus a number of travel outlets.