WH Smith faces backlash over new chief executive’s pension package January 11, 2020 WH Smith has been criticised by investors for the size of its new chief executive’s pension contribution. Carl Cowling is being paid a pension contribution worth 12.5 per cent of his salary. The Investment Association has issued its strongest-possible objection to the payment, which it says is not in line with the average employee, as [...]
WH Smith boosted by ‘strong’ performance of travel stores August 28, 2019 WH Smith said today it is on track to meet full-year expectations, helped by a strong performance in its travel stores. Read more: Shoppers rank their least favourite UK high street stores The stationer and convenience store retailer said in a trading update that its travel business – stores at stations, airports, hospitals, and service [...]
WH Smith is the UK’s worst high street store, say shoppers May 29, 2019 WH Smith is the worst of all UK high street stores, according to a survey of British shoppers published today. Read more: Ranked: The top 15 retailers to work for The stationery provider got the worst rating of 100 retailers, with just 50 per cent of customers expressing satisfaction based on factors such as quality of [...]
WH Smith: High-flyer divides City April 24, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Latest results are fuel for another assault on a record high. Here’s why Smith splits the Square Mile. With £1 billion worth of dividends or buybacks since 2007, WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) shareholders can have few complaints about the retailer’s tried and tested strategy when it comes to selling stationery, [...]
WH Smith profits suffer after £155m purchase of US airport store In Motion April 11, 2019 WH Smith suffered a huge drop in profit in its half year as the costs of its purchase of US airport retailer In Motion grounded its bottom line. The figures Group revenue grew eight per cent year on year to £695m for the six months to the end of February as the stationery chain relied [...]
Fuller’s pubs chief executive Simon Emeny joins WH Smith board February 26, 2019 The chief executive of Fuller's pubs has joined the board of WH Smith to sit as a non-executive director, the high street retailer announced this morning. Simon Emeny, group chief executive of London brewery Fuller, Smith and Turner, will be joined by Greensill Capital chairman and former Citibank chief executive Maurice Thompson. Read more: Surge [...]
SSP boss Kate Swann faces shareholder backlash over executive pay February 10, 2019 SSP chief executive Kate Swann is facing a shareholder rebellion over her £6.2m pay packet. Proxy advisor Glass Lewis recommended that investors vote against Swann’s remuneration package at a meeting later this month as the level exceeds the compensation received by chief executives at similar firms. Read more: City boss Kate Swann leaves SSP with 'petrol [...]
Surge in travel sales gives WH Smith Christmas treat despite high street slump January 23, 2019 WH Smith posted a rise in sales over the crucial Christmas trading season, after the retailer benefited from a rise in travel sales as it continues to move its focus from high streets to airports and train stations. The figures Total sales were up six per cent in the 20 weeks to 19 January. In [...]
Fears over business rates mount as Britain’s major retailers prepare to form action group January 13, 2019 Some of Britain’s biggest retailers are coming together in an urgent bid to seek business rates relief from the government, City A.M. has learned. Around 50 major high street names are joining a mass lobbying effort to curb forthcoming rises in their property tax, as profits plunge in the face of falling sales and online [...]
Shareholders yearn for retail chiefs like Swann November 22, 2018 It has been an annus horribilis for the high street. Closures, job cuts and profit warnings in the last 12 months have all thrown scrutiny on the industry – and its bosses – like never before. Which is why yesterday’s announced departure of SSP chief executive Kate Swann is all the more significant. Swann is [...]