Financials

Tiffany’s Q1 Comps Drop 9% in a Difficult Quarter

FinancialsMay 25, 2016

Tiffany’s Q1 Comps Drop 9% in a Difficult Quarter

Same-store sales fell in the United States too, with the jeweler stung by a slowdown in both tourist and domestic spending.

20160526_Tiffany-watches.jpg
Tiffany’s global sales dipped 7 percent in the first quarter, with softness recorded across all product categories. The retailer, which returned to selling watches last year with the launch of the CT 60 collection, is looking to expand its watch business in the face of slipping jewelry sales.

New York--Tiffany & Co. had the difficult first quarter it expected, with sales dropping in almost every region and across all product categories.

In the Americas, same-store sales slid 10 percent (9 percent on a constant-exchange-rate basis) in the first quarter ended April 30, and total sales were down 9 percent (8 percent on a constant-exchange-rate basis) to $403 million.

Sales were down across the United States among both domestic customers and foreign tourists of all nationalities, Tiffany Vice President of Investor Relations Mark Aaron said on the company’s earnings call Wednesday morning.

Worldwide, Tiffany saw its net sales fall 7 percent from $962.4 million to $891.3 million. Same-store sales were down 9 percent. The jeweler saw sales slide in every region except Japan, where local customers drove an 8 percent gain in total sales and comps rose 12 percent.

While gross margin improved, it was not enough to offset the slow sales, and net earnings tumbled from $104.9 million to $87.5 million.

“Overall, these first quarter results generally represented a continuation of the softness in sales trends that we experienced in the latter part of 2015 and were largely what we expected,” Aaron said.

The company’s global same-store sales fell 5 percent in the fourth quarter, while third quarter comps were up only 1 percent.

In the first quarter 2016, sales were down across all product categories, though Aaron noted that bridal and fashion jewelry fared better than the jeweler’s higher-end collections.

Online sales, which accounted for 6 percent of Tiffany’s global sales in 2015, were up slightly. Aaron said the retailer is continuing its “duel focus” on online and brick-and-mortar business in order to build product and brand recognition and improve the customer experience. He also mentioned the launch of Tiffany’s already announced partnership with e-commerce site Net-a-Porter.

Tiffany also is working to a build up its watch business, an area in which the jeweler is particularly ambitious after returning to timepiece selling with the launch of the CT 60 collection last year.

Nicola Andreatta, head of the company’s timepiece unit, told Bloomberg in an interview published this week that Tiffany aims to become one of the top 10 watch brands in the world in the next 10 years.

Tiffany did not open any new stores in the Americas in the first quarter and does not plan to open any for the rest of

the fiscal year, though it is renovating stores in San Francisco, Beverly Hills and Vancouver, British Columbia.

Worldwide, the retailer plans to close 10 stores, open 11 and relocate six by fiscal year’s end.

As of April 30, Tiffany operated 308 stores worldwide, including 124 in the Americas, up from 298 a year ago, 123 of which were in the Americas.

Given its first quarter results, Tiffany downgraded its expectations for the year. It now expects a low-single-digit year-over-year decline in sales.
Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Fope Golden Now Campaign Imagery
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Fope’s New Jewelry Debuts Are Golden

“The Golden Now” campaign celebrates the here and now with the brand’s signature styles and a selection of its new pieces.

Former Signet executive Kecia Caffie
MajorsApr 06, 2026
Kecia Caffie, Corinne Bentzen No Longer With Signet Jewelers

Signet confirmed that Caffie, president of Zales and Banter, and Bentzen, who headed Blue Nile, have left the company.

Author Tanzy Ward and her book Precious Black Jewels The Bijou Material Culture of Black Victorians & Edwardians
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Historian Tanzy Ward Pens Book on Black Victorians’ Jewelry

The antique jewelry dealer talks about the importance of including Black Americans in jewelry history and preserving their stories.

GIA iD100®
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your Business

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

Gemfields emeralds
SourcingApr 06, 2026
Gemfields Reports $51M Loss in 2025

Both its mines faced challenges last year, from operational issues to disruptions in the market.

Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Screenshot of Taylor Swift's "Elizabeth Taylor" music video
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and Center

Iconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.

Neiman Marcus store in Fort Worth, Texas
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This Summer

The luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.

TopImageCrop.jpg
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

NouvelleBox logo
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer Ballroom

The NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.

Buddha Mama Moon Locket
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To Dallas

The one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.

Pandora distribution facility Canada
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff Concerns

The new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.

Michelle Yeoh Mikimoto
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign

The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.

GIA President and CEO Pritesh Patel at GIA Taiwan campus
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in Taiwan

It is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.

DCA Second Spark Workforce Initiative Graphic
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce Initiative

The initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.

Michael Angelo
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales Representative

The wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.

Pandora and Foundrae medallion jewelry
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion Designs

Foundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.

John Jacob Astor IV's Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co., Battin & Co. pencil case
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to Auction

A Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.

Stock image of a Shell gas station
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in March

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.

Zach Bear and the Window Necklace Children’s Book from Zachary’s Jewelers
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s Book

The retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.

Accredited Gemologists Association Logo
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant Applications

Applications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.

National Jeweler columnist and Smart Age founder and CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading

These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Mejuri Puzzle Collection Campaign Imagery
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ Collection

Mejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.

Ashley Longshore in Buddha Mama jewelry
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in Dallas

The Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.

Natural Diamond Council world diamond day
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'

The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.

Jillian Wolk, the new CEO of Tracr
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr

Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.

Tom Moses examining the “Motswedi” diamond
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA

Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.

Oscar Heyman Spring Catalog Aquamarine and Diamond Necklace and Platinum Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond Bracelet
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring Catalog

The new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy