Watches of switzerland group turnover

BREAKING NEWS: Company accounts drill into details of Watches of Switzerland Group performance

The business has continued to shift its focus towards luxury watches and away from less expensive fashion and classic watches. In 2016-17 luxury watches accounted for 65% of turnover. By the following year the contribution had increased to 72%.

Operating profit at The Watches of Switzerland Group jumped by over 35% in the financial year ended April 29, 2018, accounts filed at Companies House reveal today.

The group’s turnover for the period was already disclosed before Christmas at £685.2 million, an increase of 21.2% over the prior year.

The impact of acquiring Mayors and two retail stores in the Wynn Resort of Las Vegas can now be disclosed as the American businesses added £90 million of sales to the group.

 

Watches of switzerland group turnover by territory

 

Sales in the UK rose by 5.1% from the prior year from £566 million to £595 million.

Operating profit from the UK, alone, rose by 24% to £34 million.

 

Watches of switzerland group operating profit

 

The costs associated with the group’s debt amounted to £30.3 million in the financial year and an additional £6 million was paid in tax, leading to a full year profit of just £881,000.

As of April 29, 2019, The Watches of Switzerland Group was running 134 stores in the UK and 19 stores in the United States.

The business has continued to shift its focus towards luxury watches and away from less expensive fashion and classic watches. In 2016-17 luxury watches accounted for 65% of turnover. By the following year the contribution had increased to 72%.

 

Watches of switzerland group 2016 17 turnover by product category pie

Watches of switzerland group 2017 18 turnover by product category pie

 

Sales of fashion and classic watches had declined by 15%, largely due to the company exiting its Boutique by Goldsmiths business in the UK, which specialised in volume watch brands. Sales of these inexpensive watches have shifted online within the group to its Watchshop.com property, but online growth did not compensate for the downturn in sales from physical stores.

Jewellery sales grew by 7% over the period, although it is not clear how much of this came from the American operation.

 

Watches of switzerland group turnover growth by product category

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