WH Smith profits exceed expectations despite continued losses at Do It All

Sir Malcolm Field, group managing director of WH Smith, the retailer. Smith's shares jumped 16p to 471p yesterday as it announced a 5.3 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to pounds 113.8m for the year to 29 May and said sales this year were on an upward trend. But Do It All, the do-it-yourself chain, was once again a black spot, increasing its loss from pounds 9.4m to pounds 14.3m.

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