Cashbox signs hospitals deal with WH Smith

Cash machine operator Cashbox has signed a five year deal with UNS Hopsitals, the hospital shops subsidiary of newsagent chain WH Smith, to provide automated teller machines. The company also announced that it expects to report a loss before tax of less than £2.4m and negative earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of no greater than £0.4m for the year to 30 June 2010. Revenues are expected to be in the region of £6.7m.The company said that performance was affected by the collapse into administration of First Quench Retailing, the company behind the Thresher off-licence chain. Cashbox operated more than 300 automated teller machines on behalf of Thresher. In the current financial year the company has been trading in the black at the EBITDA level. 'With the loss of Threshers now behind us and the continuing strength of our new sales pipeline, we are confident that the Company will continue its positive EBITDA performance throughout the year," said company chief executive Ciaran Morton.