Tiffany cuts profit forecast after weak holiday sales

NEW YORK — Tiffany & Co. issued a disappointing profit forecast Friday and reported lower U.S. same-store sales over the holidays, signaling that shaky consumer spending was taking a toll on the luxury sector.

The jewelry retailer, whose shares tumbled 11%, said it was analyzing sales and earnings expectations for its fiscal year beginning next month, given lackluster demand at its U.S. stores and consumer wariness.

“We believe a recent pullback in U.S. spending likely reflected a more cautious attitude among customers about the near-term direction of the economy and related factors,” Chief Executive Michael J. Kowalski said in a statement.

Best Buy Co., the largest U.S. consumer-electronics chain, and Restoration Hardware Inc. also said holiday sales growth slowed as rising energy costs and high debt led consumers to trim purchases.

“Holiday sales were much lower than expected and a total train wreck,” said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of New York-based retail consulting firm Davidowitz & Associates Inc.

U.S. retailers’ holiday sales gained 2.2%, the slowest pace in five years, the International Council of Shopping Centers said Thursday. Consumers grappling with declining home values and $3-a-gallon gasoline have limited purchases.

“The consumer has never had more debt; they have tremendous negative wealth effect from housing and huge inflation on energy and food. All of this has reflected itself in a retail debacle,” Davidowitz said. “The consumer is completely underwater.”

Goldman Sachs analyst Adrianne Shapira wrote in a note to clients that Tiffany shares probably would remain under pressure until the New York-based retailer issued an achievable earnings outlook for the new year. The stock fell $4.52 to $35.80 on Friday.

Tiffany cut the top end of profit estimate for the fiscal year ending this month, indicating fourth-quarter results will be less than spectacular. It now expects earnings of $2.25 to $2.28 a share. In November it forecast $2.25 to $2.30 a share.

The estimate excludes a gain from the sale of its Tokyo flagship store and charges for a contribution to the Tiffany & Co. Foundation and a recent deal with Swatch Group to make Tiffany-branded watches.

Tiffany cut its full-year sales growth forecast to 14% from 15%.

For the fourth quarter, it forecast a profit of $1.19 to $1.22 a share, excluding the Swatch charge, and sales growth of 8%. The company said it did not see any change in sales trends in January, which can make up 15% to 20% of quarterly revenue.