Food and Beverage Retail

WH Smith PLC

WH Smith PLC repurchased 42,836 ordinary shares

SMWH

FTSE 100 fell 1.7% amid UK fiscal worries and rising gilt yields. Speculation over scrapped income tax plans led to a sell-off in UK bonds, increasing borrowing costs. European markets also declined, while US stocks were expected lower. BHP Group plans to appeal a court ruling related to the 2015 dam disaster. WH Ireland surged 22% after a takeover proposal. Brent oil rose, while gold fell.

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 BHP Group Ltd

FTSE falls sharply amid UK fiscal worries

WH Smith PLC announced that as of 31 October 2025, it has 126,453,145 ordinary shares with voting rights. This number will be used by shareholders to determine if they need to notify any changes in their interest in the company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. No shares are held in treasury. Ian Houghton serves as the Company Secretary.

London Stock Exchange

REG - WH Smith PLC - Total Voting Rights

WH Smith postpones annual results amid probe into US accounting error - The retailer slashed its profit outlook in August after discovering it had overstated trading profits in North America by about £30 million.

WH Smith postpones annual results amid probe into US accounting error

Shares of travel retailer WH Smith (SMWH.L) fall 1.13% to 702p Co delays publishing FY results to December 16 from November 12, as previously announced financial review by Deloitte is expected to conclude by end of November 2025Co announced in August that it was engaging Deloitte for an independent review, after a financial review identified an overstatement of around 30 million pounds ($40.26 million) of expected headline trading profit in North AmericaUp to Tuesday’s close, stock has fallen 40.29% so far this year($1 = 0.7451 pounds)

Reuters

BUZZ-WH Smith falls after delaying FY results amid financial review

WH Smith has postponed its results release from November 12 to December 16 due to ongoing accounting issues that have led to a £30 million profit overstatement in its North America division. The company is under review by Deloitte, while PricewaterhouseCoopers completes the audit. WH Smith's stock has dropped significantly this year, falling below a £1 billion market value. The retailer is transitioning to a travel-focused operation, having sold its high street stores and greetings card business earlier this year.

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WH Smith delays results by more than a month as accounting struggles persist

WH Smith shares rose 4% to 702 p after Peel Hunt upgraded its rating to 'Buy' from 'Hold' and raised the price target to 800 p from 755 p. The brokerage highlighted the company's strong underlying assets in the UK and abroad, despite concerns about its U.S. operations. Currently, 4 out of 11 analysts rate the stock as 'Buy' or higher, while 7 have a 'Hold' rating, with a median price target of 715 p. The stock has fallen 43.23% year-to-date.

WH Smith rises after Peel Hunt rating upgrade to 'Buy'

WH Smith PLC announced that M&G PLC has crossed a significant threshold in voting rights, reducing their holdings to 4.98487% as of October 15, 2025. The notification was made on October 16, 2025, indicating a decrease from a previous holding of 5.0228%. M&G PLC is based in London, UK, and the notification follows the standard form for major holdings. The information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange.

REG - WH Smith PLC M&G PLC - Holding(s) in Company

WH Smith, a historic retail brand, is set to exit the high street, leaving only travel outlets in airports and train stations. Founded in 1792, the company thrived with railway expansion but faced challenges from rising rents. Recently, it sold its high street arm to focus on travel, rebranding stores as TJ Jones. This marks the departure of a major retail presence, reflecting broader struggles of high streets in the UK, where many feel the retail landscape has deteriorated post-pandemic. While some may not mourn its loss, it signifies a shift in the retail environment.

Will we mourn the loss of WH Smith from the high street?

Morgan Stanley has notified that its total holding in WH Smith PLC has dropped below 5%, triggering the application of the trading book exemption. As of September 10, 2025, Morgan Stanley's remaining applicable holding is 4.304655%. The notification was made on September 12, 2025, following the threshold crossing on September 10, 2025. The details were provided through the RNS service of the London Stock Exchange.

Morgan Stanley

REG - WH Smith PLC Morgan Stanley - Holding(s) in Company

In addition to Berenberg Bank, WH Smith also received a Hold from UBS’s Hai Huynh in a report issued on September 1. However, on September 5, J.P. Morgan maintained a Buy rating on WH Smith (LSE: SMWH).

Tip Ranks

Berenberg Bank downgrades WH Smith (SMWH) to a Hold

WH Smith PLC announced that Causeway Capital Management LLC has crossed a significant threshold in voting rights, now holding 16.08% of the company's voting rights as of September 10, 2025. This marks an increase from the previous holding of 15.79%. The notification was made on September 11, 2025, following the acquisition of voting rights. Causeway Capital Holdings LLC is the ultimate controlling entity of Causeway Capital Management LLC.