WH Smith reveals ash cloud impact

RETAIL chain WH Smith today said the recent volcanic ash cloud crisis had affected third quarter sales at its airport and travel centre sites.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jun 2010, 10:13 BST

The group reported a 4 per cent slide in like-for-like sales across WH Smith Travel - which operates from 495 outlets in airports, train stations and at motorway service stations - after the ash cloud caused widespread flight chaos.

Excluding the disruption, travel stores sales slipped 2 per cent in the 14 weeks to June 5, but WH Smith has already said the hit was unlikely to affect profits.

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The group, which also announced a new chairman today to replace five-year incumbent Robert Walker, added that "while airport passenger numbers have, as expected, remained soft, we continue to outperform".

WH Smith failed to deliver any uplift in the high street division since the half year, with comparable sales remaining 4% below a year earlier.

The group is rebalancing the mix of the business away from lower margin CD and DVDs and on to books, stationery and confectionery markets - a move which is impacting sales.

Like-for-like sales across both businesses were down 4% in the 14-week period.