JCKnews Monday - January 8, 2007
Dear Reader,Major personnel changes were announced in the retail, gemological, and diamond sectors of the industry. We learn who was naughty and who was nice as jewelry chains and department stores report holiday sales. Pure-play and multi-channel retailers celebrate a year of strong sales. And, AGS names speakers for its upcoming conclave.
1. President of Gordon's Jewelers Resigns, Replacement Named
2. World’s Foremost Authority Rehires World’s Foremost Authority
3. Lyle Rose Named Chief Executive at LID
4. Zale Same-Store Sales Rose 2.3% for the Holiday Season
5. Finlay Comparable Holiday Sales Rose 1.6%; Total Sales Fell
6. Jewelry Plays a Role in Neiman Marcus's 8.3% December Sales Increase
7. Nordstrom Same-Store Sales Up 9% for Five-Week Holiday Period
8. Jewelry Plays a Big Role in J.C. Penney December Sales
9. Federated December Same-Store Sales up; Total Sales Down
10. Late December Surge Provides Chain Stores with Moderate Holiday Sales Increase
11. Online Retail Sales for 2006 Surpass $100 Billion Mark
12. Five Speakers to Headline AGS 2007 Conclave in Denver
For more news and updates, please go to http://email.jckgroup.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/h3F30IgBJs0B4Y0Erwd0Eh.
1. President of Gordon's Jewelers Resigns, Replacement Named
2. World’s Foremost Authority Rehires World’s Foremost Authority
3. Lyle Rose Named Chief Executive at LID
4. Zale Same-Store Sales Rose 2.3% for the Holiday Season
5. Finlay Comparable Holiday Sales Rose 1.6%; Total Sales Fell
6. Jewelry Plays a Role in Neiman Marcus's 8.3% December Sales Increase
7. Nordstrom Same-Store Sales Up 9% for Five-Week Holiday Period
8. Jewelry Plays a Big Role in J.C. Penney December Sales
9. Federated December Same-Store Sales up; Total Sales Down
10. Late December Surge Provides Chain Stores with Moderate Holiday Sales Increase
11. Online Retail Sales for 2006 Surpass $100 Billion Mark
12. Five Speakers to Headline AGS 2007 Conclave in Denver
For more news and updates, please go to http://email.jckgroup.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/h3F30IgBJs0B4Y0Erwd0Eh.
1. PRESIDENT OF GORDON'S JEWELERS RESIGNS, REPLACEMENT NAMED
Zale Corp., the largest U.S. retail jeweler, on Friday announced the resignation of Frank C. Mroczka, a 23-year Zale veteran, as Zale senior vice president and president of Gordon’s Jewelers. His departure follows the Jan. 4 announcement that, despite slight gains overall in holiday sales for Zale Corp., Gordon’s Jewelers posted a decrease in comparable store sales. To read more click here.
2. WORLD’S FOREMOST AUTHORITY REHIRES WORLD’S FOREMOST AUTHORITY
GIA said in an internal memo Wednesday that John Koivula, one of the world’s top gemologists, has been rehired by GIA. The memo, drafted by Tom Moses, VP and director of gemological services for the GIA Gem Laboratory, notes that Koivula will be back on staff next week. To read more click here.
Zale Corp., the largest U.S. retail jeweler, on Friday announced the resignation of Frank C. Mroczka, a 23-year Zale veteran, as Zale senior vice president and president of Gordon’s Jewelers. His departure follows the Jan. 4 announcement that, despite slight gains overall in holiday sales for Zale Corp., Gordon’s Jewelers posted a decrease in comparable store sales. To read more click here.
2. WORLD’S FOREMOST AUTHORITY REHIRES WORLD’S FOREMOST AUTHORITY
GIA said in an internal memo Wednesday that John Koivula, one of the world’s top gemologists, has been rehired by GIA. The memo, drafted by Tom Moses, VP and director of gemological services for the GIA Gem Laboratory, notes that Koivula will be back on staff next week. To read more click here.
3. LYLE ROSE NAMED CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT LID
Lyle M. Rose has been chosen to head LID, Ltd., one of the world's largest diamond corporations and a Diamond Trading Corporation sightholder. The appointment, made today by David Elishayov, LID president, is effective immediately. To read more click here.
Lyle M. Rose has been chosen to head LID, Ltd., one of the world's largest diamond corporations and a Diamond Trading Corporation sightholder. The appointment, made today by David Elishayov, LID president, is effective immediately. To read more click here.
4. ZALE SAME-STORE SALES ROSE 2.3% FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON
Zale Corp., a leading specialty retailer of fine jewelry in North America, reported Thursday that same-store sales increased 2.3 percent for the November and December 2006 holiday selling period. Total revenues for the two-month period were $905 million compared to $860 million during the prior year, an increase of 5.2 percent. To read more click here.
5. FINLAY COMPARABLE HOLIDAY SALES ROSE 1.6%; TOTAL SALES FELL
Finlay Enterprises, Inc. said Thursday that comparable department sales for the two-month period including November and December increased 1.6 percent. The New York-based company had previously anticipated comparable store sales in the range of 3 to 4 percent for the period. To read more click here.
6. JEWELRY PLAYS A ROLE IN NEIMAN MARCUS'S 8.3% DECEMBER SALES INCREASE
Privately held Neiman Marcus, Inc. said Thursday that for the five-week period ended Dec. 30, total revenue was $689 million, an 8.3 percent increase from the same period in the prior year. Same-store sales increased 7.1 percent for the period. To read more click here.
7. NORDSTROM SAME-STORE SALES UP 9% FOR FIVE-WEEK HOLIDAY PERIOD
Nordstrom, Inc. on Thursday reported preliminary sales of nearly $1.3 million for the five-week period ending Dec. 30, 2006, an increase of 9.8 percent compared to sales of $1.15 million for the same period of the prior year. Same-store sales increased 9 percent. To read more click here.
8. JEWELRY PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN J.C. PENNEY DECEMBER SALES
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. said Thursday that same-store sales increased 2.6 percent for the five weeks ended Dec. 30, 2006, in line with its initial expectations for a low-single digit increase and compared with a 2.2 percent gain last year. Total sales increased 4.2 percent for the five weeks. The best sales performances for the month were in children’s, fine jewelry and fashion jewelry, as well as seasonal and gift categories such as home entertainment. To read more click here.
9. FEDERATED DECEMBER SAME-STORE SALES UP; TOTAL SALES DOWN
Federated Department Stores, Inc. on Thursday reported total sales of nearly $5 billion for the five weeks ended Dec. 30, a decrease of 8.5 percent compared to total sales of $5.4 billion in the same period last year. Total sales declined from December 2005 to December 2006, impacted by the closing of 78 duplicative store locations over the past year. To read more click here.
10. LATE DECEMBER SURGE PROVIDES CHAIN STORES WITH MODERATE HOLIDAY SALES INCREASE
Consumers waited until late December to finish their holiday shopping as U.S. chain store sales for the month increased by 3.1 percent, on a year-over-year basis, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. The increase was higher than the expected 2.5 percent forecast for December. To read more click here.
11. ONLINE RETAIL SALES FOR 2006 SURPASS $100 BILLION MARK
For the full year 2006, online retail spending (non-travel) reached $102.1 billion, marking a 24- percent increase versus 2005, according to comScore Networks. Online holiday e-commerce accounted for $24.6 billion, up 26 percent increase versus last year. To read more click here.
12. FIVE SPEAKERS TO HEADLINE AGS 2007 CONCLAVE IN DENVER
Five renowned speakers will present programs throughout the four-day American Gem Society International Conclave 2007, to be held April 25-28 at the Denver (Colo.) Marriott City Center. To read more click here.
That's all for today!Yours,
The Editors of JCKnews Monday
The Editors of JCKnews Monday
