WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) has announced its trading update for the 13 week period to 31 May 2025
Well positioned for peak summer trading period as a pure play travel retailer
Our global travel business continues to perform well with total Travel revenue in the 13 weeks to 31 May 2025 up 7% on a constant currency basis versus the prior year. The Group is on track to deliver the full year in line with expectations.
Group revenue growth in the period compared to 2024 has been:
| Revenue 13 Weeks to 31 May 2025 | |||
| Totalversus2024 | Total constant currency versus 2024 | LFLversus2024 | |
| Travel UK | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| North America | 3% | 7% | 2% |
| Rest of the World | 9% | 12% | 7% |
| Total Travel | 5% | 7% | 5% |
Travel UK
Our UK division is growing and performing strongly. In the 13 weeks to 31 May 2025, total revenue was up 5% on last year with LFL revenue up 6%. Across our channels, LFL revenue in Air was up 7%, Hospitals were up 3%, and Rail was up 6% in the period.
We continue to invest in the quality of our UK store portfolio. We recently refitted 7 stores at Edinburgh airport, including our latest one-stop-shop format, a new standalone bookshop, and our first Smith’s Family Kitchen coffee proposition in an airport.
North America
Total revenue in our North America division during the 13 week period was up 7% on last year on a constant currency basis. LFL revenue was up 2%, reflecting strong spend per passenger growth, our forensic approach to space management, including enhancing our ranges and broadening our categories, and the resilient nature of our business.
In our Air business, the largest part of our North America division combining our Travel Essentials and InMotion businesses, LFL revenue was up 4% with total growth on a constant currency basis up 9%.
Store openings in Air in the period include 10 new stores across airports including, Calgary, Denver, Detroit and Washington.
Rest of the World
We are making good progress in growing our Rest of the World business and the opportunities are significant. Total revenue for the 13 week period to 31 May 2025 was up 12% on last year on a constant currency basis and up 7% on a LFL basis, as passenger numbers continue to improve across these markets.
High Street
On the 28 March 2025, we announced the sale of our UK High Street business to Modella Capital. We are on track to complete the sale at the end of June 2025.
Outlook
Since our Interim Results announcement on the16 April 2025, our expectations for the full financial year are unchanged.
Looking ahead, while we are mindful of the broader economic and geopolitical uncertainty, WH Smith Plc is well positioned as we enter our peak summer trading period. We are strengthening our focus on cost and cash discipline, and we are in a strong position to capitalise on substantial value creating opportunities that exist across our markets.
