A trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.
Tiffany Holiday Sales Slip as Chinese Tourist Demand Wanes
Worldwide same-store sales were down 2 percent while comps in the Americas fell flat.

New York—Tiffany’s sales fell short this holiday season as demand from Chinese tourists dipped, putting a damper on its full-year profit outlook.
Fewer people found an iconic Tiffany & Co. blue box under their trees, with worldwide net sales for the New York-based jeweler slipping 1 percent to $1.04 billion compared with $1.05 billion last year.
Worldwide same-store sales fell by 2 percent compared with the 5 percent uptick in the previous holiday season.
“We attribute the difference partly to lower sales to foreign (primarily Chinese) tourists globally, and to softening demand attributed to local customers in the Americas and Europe, which we believe may have been influenced more than expected by external events, uncertainties and market volatilities,” stated CEO Alessandro Bogliolo said.
Sales in the Americas, where the most Tiffany stores are located, dipped 1 percent to $514 million as both locals and foreign visitors spent less. Same-stores sales remained equal to last year.
European sales were down 4 percent to $132 million, with same-store sales dropping 5 percent.
Asia-Pacific sales declined 3 percent to $226 million as same-stores sales were down 4 percent. While Tiffany pointed to strong growth in mainland China, it noted that demand softened in other markets that rely heavily on foreign tourist spending.
Japan was the shining exception, reporting a 4 percent increase in sales to $150 million as local customers spent more. Same-stores sales also were up 4 percent.
Sales from the “other” segment, which includes five Tiffany stores in the United Arab Emirates, sank 11 percent to $132 million, despite having an additional location in the region this holiday season.
There were 321 Tiffany stores in operation as of Dec. 31, five more than the previous year.
Breaking it down by category, sales of jewelry collections, lines like Tiffany T and Paper Flowers, rose by 2 percent while engagement jewelry sales fell 3 percent.
Sales of jewelry from designers Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso and Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger dipped 8 percent.
For the year ahead, Tiffany expects full-year profit to be between $4.65 and $4.80 per share, at the lower end of its previous guidance.
Annual sales are expected to rise 6 to 7 percent, compared with its prior guidance of a high-single-digit increase.
Signet Jewelers also reported a dip in sales this holiday season and lowered its full-year profit forecast as well.
Bogliolo, an industry veteran who took the reins at Tiffany in July 2017, said the plan is to double down
The Latest

Botswana’s president said his country wants a controlling share, while Angola envisions multiple countries holding minority stakes.

The manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.

With their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.

The jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.


The Scarsdale, New York-based jeweler donated a professional-grade watch cleaning machine.

The 50 percent tariffs on diamonds shipped from India to the U.S. have pushed midstream manufacturers to the edge.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

De Beers’ refreshed, multipronged approach, which includes generic promotions and retail partnerships, is delivering positive dividends.
They are trying to balance the need to sustain well-established relationships with the pressure higher tariffs have put on margins.

Jewelry manufacturer Jewelex has partnered with JOSH, an industry training center, on a program for people with disabilities.

The collection includes pieces dating back to the Victorian and Art Deco periods as well as mid-century and late 20th-century designs.

He previously served as co-chair of the nonprofit’s beneficiary committee.

Its second collaboration with the conservationist features jewelry with dove and olive branch motifs.

The diamond manufacturer’s new company will provide accessible and affordable high-quality medicines across India.

Emmanuel Raheb shares tips on how a jeweler’s showcases, marketing, and social media presence can whisper, instead of shout.

The private equity firm has a plan to revive the mall staple.

The “Super Book of Gems” dives into the Mohs Hardness Scale, the Four C’s, and designs from jewelers like Cartier and Bulgari.

Claudio Pasta will take the lead at the Italian fine jewelry brand, succeeding company founder Licia Mattioli.

The new lab-grown diamond jewelry offering is the latest expansion of the designer’s “Bliss” collection.

The miner is honoring the end of an era with an offering of 52 lots from the now-closed Argyle and the soon-to-close Diavik mines.

The California-based fine jewelry brand will retain its identity post-acquisition, with new collections launching next year.

The “Untamed” collection centers on carved gemstone jewelry depicting a range of animals embodying one of the four elemental forces.

Founded in 2004, the organization is now called the Community for Ethical Jewelry.

From Coco Gauff’s hoops to Madison Keys’ diamond medallion, these are Senior Editor Lenore Fedow’s standout jewelry looks of the season.

The trendy earrings feature asymmetrical drops, one with a grossular garnet and the other with a diamond.

Four social media marketing experts discuss their go-to methods and favorite tools for making high-quality short-form video content.