WH SMITH shareholders will be hoping the stationery-to-snacks retailer posts higher sales when it reveals its half-year results this week.

The group, which has shifted focus further from the high street to travel sites in recent years, is expected to be boosted by the continued recovery in traveller numbers at airports and train stations.

It is likely to reveal growth in revenues over the six months to February when it updates the market on Thursday.

Analysts at Numis have forecast that travel revenues will have increased by around 70 per cent year-on-year, amid comparisons with sales weighed down by the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus in the previous period.

The group's travel business, which includes 120 Inmotion technology stores, now represents around two-thirds of its revenues.

Numis analysts Tim Barrett and Richard Stuber said: "Rail strikes will have continued to impact the UK business, with 10 days impacting the December-February period." But they added: "As the business pivots towards travel, it has become increasingly H2 weighted (March-August) given the importance of the summer holiday period to airports."

Shares in WH Smith are 30 per cent higher for the past six months as sentiment around the economy and the outlook for consumer travel demand has continued to improve.

PA

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