WH Smith first-half sales grow 5% on North America boost (updated)

WH Smith

05/03/2026 07:30

Adds details in paragraphs 2,3

March 5 (Reuters) - Travel retailer WH Smith SMWH.L reported a 5% rise in first-half revenue on Thursday, helped by double-digit growth in North America, and said it was on track to meet its full-year targets.

The company said it was mindful of the impact of geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East on passenger numbers across its key markets, and that it would continue to monitor the situation.

WH Smith, which is grappling with the fallout from earlier accounting errors in its North America business, said sales from the region jumped 10% in the six months to Feb. 28, driven by a surge in revenue at airports.

(Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)

((Shashwat.Awasthi@tr.com))