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Tag: Time

  • Oriental Watch profit soars as Chinese shop at home instead of travel

    Oriental Watch profit soars as Chinese shop at home instead of travel

    Most readers would already be aware that Oriental Watch Holdings’ stock increased significantly by 37% over the past three months. As most would know, fundamentals are what usually guide market price movements over the long term, so we decided to look at the company’s key financial indicators today to determine if they have any role to play in the recent price movement. Specifically, we decided to study Oriental Watch Holdings’ ROE in this article.

    Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

    The ‘return’ is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that for every HK$1 worth of shareholders’ equity, the company generated HK$0.05 in profit.

    So far, we’ve learned that ROE is a measure of a company’s profitability. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or “retains”, and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a company’s earnings growth potential. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that don’t share these attributes.

    On the face of it, Oriental Watch Holdings’ ROE is not much to talk about. We then compared the company’s ROE to the broader industry and were disappointed to see that the ROE is lower than the industry average of 8.5%. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see that Oriental Watch Holdings grew its net income at a significant rate of 42% in the last five years. So, there might be other aspects that are positively influencing the company’s earnings growth. Such as – high earnings retention or efficient management in place.

    Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Oriental Watch Holdings’ growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 8.5% in the same period, which is great to see.

    The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. This then helps them determine if the stock is placed for a bright or bleak future. Is Oriental Watch Holdings fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

    The three-year median payout ratio for Oriental Watch Holdings is 45%, which is moderately low. The company is retaining the remaining 55%. So it seems that Oriental Watch Holdings is reinvesting efficiently in a way that it sees impressive growth in its earnings (discussed above) and pays a dividend that’s well covered.

    Moreover, Oriental Watch Holdings is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of paying a dividend for at least ten years.

  • Apple Watch picks up another update today

    Apple Watch picks up another update today

    Today is a happy day for Apple fans, as the Cupertino-based company is rolling out new software updates for three of its popular products: iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. If you’re rocking one of the first two, you should be able to download iOS 14.2 today.

    On the other hand, Apple Watch owners can download watchOS 7.1, a rather important update that brings some interesting new features for select users. The first one is the ability to be notified when your headphone level could impact your hearing.

    Then, we have a fix for an issue that prevented some users from unlocking Mac with Apple Watch. Another fix included in the update should address an issue where the screen may be dark on wrist raise for some people using the Apple Watch Series 6.

    The next two new features are specifically aimed at Apple Watch users in two countries: Korea and Russia. Those users living in one of the two countries will finally get support for the ECG app on Apple Watch Series 4 or later, as well as support for irregular heart rhythm notifications.

    Make sure that you check your Apple Watch app via your iPhone to see whether or not the new watchOS 7.1 update is available for download. You should find it by heading to General / Software Update.

  • Swiss Watchmakers Believe In-Store Shopping Will Prevail

    Swiss Watchmakers Believe In-Store Shopping Will Prevail

    Despite the pandemic, Swiss watchmakers believe in-store shopping will prevail over digital platforms. The majority of Swiss watchmakers believe that bricks and mortar stores will remain the preferred sales channels for their products and will prevail over online in the coming years. This, despite the recent impact of the pandemic and accelerated digitalization.

    In-store experiences are still viewed as an essential part of the customer journey, and companies are investing considerably in experiential brand marketing. Pessimism is rife among Swiss watch industry executives with 85 percent forecasting a grim outlook for the industry. Despite the challenging outlook, the industry is not complacent, prioritizing omnichannel strategies, delving into the pre-owned market, and shifting towards more sustainable and ethical ways of production.

    Hopes were high in January 2020 for a positive year for the watch industry after a challenging 2019. COVID-19 had other plans leading to one of the most disruptive periods in the history of the Swiss watch industry. Over two-thirds (67 percent) of watch industry executives surveyed in the Deloitte Swiss Watch Industry Study 2020 predict a gloomy outlook for the Swiss economy in general, with 85 percent forecasting a grim outlook for the industry specifically which shows the seriousness of the current situation and the monumental challenge for the industry.

    COVID-19 has hit the industry hard and the emerging second wave is a stark reminder that the crisis is not yet over. The decline in exports has affected entry-level quartz watches even more acutely, a segment suffering since 2012. The collapse of global tourism due to travel restrictions, which is likely to continue in the coming months, a drop in domestic demands due to the lockdown, and cautious spending habits are having a direct impact on the industry. Production halts in China exposed gaps in some of the producers’ supply chain and inventories, perhaps leading to a rethink of regionalizing production back to Switzerland.

    Over 70 percent of Swiss watch executives believe that offline channels will continue to dominate digital ones across all price brackets. Over 60 percent of brands surveyed are prioritizing the development and strengthening of their omnichannel strategy. The in-store experience is an essential part of the customer journey, which is why executives are looking to implement experiential brand experiences, a mobile-driven workforce, and mobile apps to enhance their in-store customer experience. Technologies like augmented reality or virtual reality are not prioritized at the moment.

    For an industry that largely relies on the emotional connection from seeing and handling luxury watches, the challenge moving forward will be how to combine physical and digital with so-called phygital experiences. This will be essential to create not only a seamless journey for customers but also increase resilience should another lockdown happen, Karine Szegedi, Head of Fashion & Luxury at Deloitte Switzerland, said.

    When it comes to which marketing channels influence consumers’ decisions to buy a watch, print ads are still most influential in Switzerland and Germany, while in France, China and the U.K., in-store events have the greatest impact. Social media and influencers are most effective in Hong Kong, UAE, and Singapore. Radio and TV are still quite important in many countries, showing the importance of getting the marketing channel mix right.

  • Google Maps returns to the Apple Watch

    Google Maps returns to the Apple Watch

    Back in 2017, Google Maps no longer worked with the Apple Watch. The reason why Google pulled it from the Apple Watch reportedly had something to do with the app’s limited capabilities on the watch compared to the iPhone app. At the time that Google made this announcement, it promised that Maps would return to the Apple Watch. And that apparently is what is happening. After a new update, Google Maps is once again available for Apple Watch wearers providing them with directions and the estimated time of arrival.

    Users cannot input a new destination directly on the watch and Google directs wearers to enter a location using the phone app and then moving to Apple Watch. Using Google Maps on Apple Watch will allow those walking, driving, taking public transportation, or riding a bicycle from point “A” to point “B” to receive step-by-step directions and show the Estimated Time of Arrival. The primary screen on the Apple Watch shows the user’s current trip with travel times to other destinations such as work and home. Icons show when a turn needs to be made and also identify the current mode of transportation being used. Haptics help users know when they need to make a turn and there is a complication on the Apple Watch that shows the Google Maps icon and opens the app.

    Live Google Maps are not available on the Apple Watch (although live Apple Maps are). Version 5.5.2 of Google Maps is available for the Apple Watch through the App Store.

  • Swatch cuts 2400 jobs, speeds up Hong Kong store cull

    Swatch cuts 2400 jobs, speeds up Hong Kong store cull

    Swatch Group has cut about 2400 jobs, its biggest cull in at least three decades, and will trim its store network as the Swiss watchmaker recorded its first-ever loss.

    The maker of Omega and Longines timepieces said Tuesday it accelerated plans to shut stores definitively in Hong Kong as well as shops that sell its colorful namesake brand and CK. The loss came as sales in the six months through June plummeted 43 percent due to tot the impact of Covid-19.

    In a break with its strategy during previous crises such as the 2009 financial downturn, Swatch is leaning more on slashing jobs, a signal that this year is different. CEO Nick Hayek has said that during hard times, the problem with cutting jobs is it’s difficult to find qualified staff when the market rebounds.

    “Winston Churchill said ‘never waste a good crisis’, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do, especially in the second half of the year,” Hayek said in prepared video remarks.

    The stock was little changed in early trading, having dropped 28 percent this year.

    The CEO said Swatch expects a profit this year as countries ease lockdown measures that had led to shuttered shops and travel bans amid the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s first-half operating loss of US$347 million was twice as big as analysts expected. In the second half, Swatch plans to introduce new products, including a Tissot smartwatch.

    Swatch announced the end of its 22-year-old contract to sell Calvin Klein watches in October, and many of the closures were related to that decision, Hayek said. The company’s plastic namesake brand is also reducing its reliance on brick-and-mortar stores and will rely more on e-commerce.

    Swatch forecast that the industry will recover quickly as consumers catch up on shopping after lockdowns, as seen in China and Korea. The month of June already was profitable, thanks to pent-up demand in mainland China, where sales rose at a double-digit rate in May and June.

    Still, only about half of its employees in Switzerland have returned to work full-time. Some 6000 employees were on short-time work on average last week, while about 2500 were taking an unused vacation or reducing overtime, according to chief controlling officer Peter Steiger.

    The company had to shut up to 80 percent of its sales outlets around the world during lockdowns. Swatch closed 260 stores definitively and now has about 1800.

  • Reduced rents, high-end products help Oriental Watch stay in profit

    Reduced rents, high-end products help Oriental Watch stay in profit

    Listed Hong Kong timepiece retailer Oriental Watch Holdings has weathered the multiple crises of the last financial year to record a decrease in turnover of just 3.5 percent and a profit of US$12.9 million.

    While turnover was down to $303.6 million, gross profit was up by 7 percent to $83.2 million, “mainly due to the group’s positioning at the high-end luxurious watch market where our long-term customers maintain strong purchasing power, as well as our vigorous efforts in the control of inventory,” the company said in its results announcement.

    The net profit attributable to shareholders of $12.9 million was down by 27.5 percent, the decline largely due to impairment losses, an increase in the allowance for slowing-moving stock and decreasing sales due to Covid-19 in the first quarter of this calendar year. But the company warned the full impact of Covid-19 had not been represented in the 2020 year results.

    Chairman Yeung Ming Biu said the company had introduced “stringent cost-control measures, especially in rent costs” which were down by 15.7 percent to $18.7 million.

    “We have successfully negotiated lower rental rates and more flexible leasing terms, and hence lowering the overall rental cost. In addition, we conduct a regular assessment on the performance of all retail stores and close down non-performing ones to improve resources allocation. The Group will continue to closely monitor our stores’ performance as well as rental contracts in order to improve our efficiency and cost structure,” said Yeung

    Oriental Watch has 62 luxury watch stores in Greater China, 47 on the mainland, 11 in Hong Kong, three in Taiwan and one in Macau.

    By market, Oriental Watch achieved a 17.5-per-cent increase in sales on the mainland to $129.1 million, despite the declining consumer sentiment and the advent of the pandemic. In Hong Kong, year-on-year sales were stable despite the social unrest from June last year until the arrival of Covid-19. As a result, sales fell by 17.3 percent to $154.6 million.

    Sales in Taiwan and Macau grew slightly, but recorded a loss largely due to increased allowance for slow-moving stock.

  • Oriental Watch issues profit warning

    Oriental Watch issues profit warning

    Slow-moving stock and falling sales due to the Covid-19 pandemic have prompted listed Hong Kong timepiece retailer Oriental Watch to issue a profit warning.

    The company has advised the stock exchange that net profit for the year to March 31 will fall by about 20 percent.

    Furthermore, for the two months ended May 31, the group’s revenue decreased by more than 10 percent compared with last year (when sales were impacted by social unrest in the territory).

    During the quarter to March, Oriental Watch has allowed for impairment of assets, plant and equipment and provisioned for “slow-moving watches”.

    “There has been no change in the group’s operation as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and its financial position continues to be strong,” said chairman Yeung Ming Biu in the filing.

  • Chinese Prestige Time Experience store opens in Hong Kong

    Chinese Prestige Time Experience store opens in Hong Kong

    Hong Kong’s first Chinese Prestige Time Experience store has launched in Yue Hwa.

    Opened by Sun International Concepts, the outlet serves as a platform to showcase multiple Chinese watch brands, aiming to promote Chinese watch culture against the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak.

    As the first platform for Chinese watch brands in the territory, consumers can find long-established brands such as Seagull, Shanghai, Beijing and Peacock – all of which have a 60-year history – alongside modern brands.

    A “Lab Tourbillon” area within the store introduces a variety of designer watches highlighting and introducing advances in Chinese tourbillon craftsmanship to the Hong Kong market.

    The 80,000sqft Yue Hwa store has traded in fine Chinese products within Hong Kong since 1959.

  • Tommy Hilfiger watch store opens in Manila

    Tommy Hilfiger watch store opens in Manila

    The Philippines’ official Tommy Hilfiger distributor Take Wizer Industries has launched the world’s first Tommy Hilfiger watch store in Quezon City.

    The store opened on January 23 at the Upper Ground Floor (UGF), City Center, SM North Edsa, featuring an interactive photo booth for customers to try on the watches for sharing on social media.

    “It’s a great venue to showcase how Tommy’s reputation for fashionably chic iconic apparel translates into the watch design,” said Wizer Industries VP marketing Rainier Jacinto. “The boutique’s design is minimalist but retains a sense of Americana, taking after its parent brand’s h

    “Its pristine look and clean lines give customers the opportunity to focus their attention and appreciation on the workmanship of the timepieces. We’d like to showcase how dynamic a store concept can be by rolling out something really fresh for the Philippine market.”

    “Manila is the perfect market for modern fashion accessories which Tommy Hilfiger watches are known for,” he added.

  • Breitling opens new concept store at Hong Kong airport

    Breitling opens new concept store at Hong Kong airport

    Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling has opened a new boutique at Hong Kong International Airport.

    The new outlet features the brand’s industrial loft concept, inspired by mid-20th-Century interior design. The boutique is located at the departure level of Terminal 1 East Hall at HKIA.

    “We especially opened our new boutique at the HKIA as it not only represents Breitling’s century-old association with aviation but we also hope to share our brand history and DNA with travelers all over the world,” said Breitling CEO Georges Kern. “To celebrate the opening of this boutique, the new Aviator 8 Mosquito watch, inspired by the legendary de Havilland Mosquito plane, will be exclusively available in the HKIA store.”

    Modern-retro elements in the store include a neon Breitling logo from the 1940s and 1950s and yellow mesh walls with the stylized “B” vintage logo combined with bespoke furniture. The boutique brings together all of Breitling’s collections, including the latest novelties and some exclusive limited editions. In addition, the boutique also features a VIP area for more personal and discrete customer service.

  • Oriental Watch sales, profit holds firm despite turmoil

    Oriental Watch sales, profit holds firm despite turmoil

    Oriental Watch has shrugged off the impact of ongoing Hong Kong protests, with sales down a mere 1.1 percent and improved gross profit in the half-year to September.

    Sales totaled HK$1.168 billion (US$149 million), gross profit rose 10.4 percent to $318.2 million and profit attributable to shareholders was down 3.6 percent to $61.7 million.

    “The Hong Kong operation of the group held up well during the period against a backdrop of uncertain economic and social conditions,” said chairman Yeung Ming Biu.

    Oriental Watch operates 61 stores selling high-end watches, 46 of them in Mainland China, 11 in Hong Kong, three in Taiwan and one in Macau.

    Same-store-sales growth reached 11 percent in China where the company has established a solid foothold across tier-one cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, in the Guangdong province, and other cities such as Taiyuan, Nanjing, Changsha and Chengdu.

    Figures for Hong Kong were not highlighted in the group’s half-year results but overall luxury-goods sales fell by around 50 percent in the last quarter.

    Yeung said the group believes Hong Kong tourism will regain its footing in the near future, and remains “cautiously optimistic” for the longer-term retail market, especially for the high-end sectors.

    “Oriental Watch will continue to deploy appropriate strategies to elevate the productivity of existing stores, strengthen cost management and optimize its inventory profile, as well as enrich its

  • Swiss Watch Gallery launches Art of Time 2019 at KL

    Swiss Watch Gallery launches Art of Time 2019 at KL

    Swiss Watch Gallery launched its signature timepiece event, Art of Time 2019 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

    Art of Time is presented by Swiss Watch Gallery in partnership with Tumi, GH Mumm, and media outlets The Edge and The Star.

    In its sixth rendition, Art of Time 2019 features the world’s renowned watchmakers, including Arnold & Son, Bell & Ross, Girard-Perregaux, Graham, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaquet Droz, Oris, Parmigiani Fleurier, TAG Heuer, Tudor, Ulysse Nardin and Zenith.

    “The idea behind Art of Time is to bring to Malaysia the experience of the amazing and exclusive watchmaking showcases of Basel and Geneva,” said Ashvin Valiram, executive director of Valiram Group. “We feel it is the best way to inculcate the love for horological instruments, and the craftsmanship and innovation that go into their creation.”

    The launch event has attracted more than 200 guests including entrepreneurs, corporate captains, retail partners, watch enthusiasts, celebrities, socialites and media figures

    “This year is our best by far, with new brands joining our showcase for the first time,” said Ashvin. “We look at ourselves not just as a retailer but also an advocate of fine watchmaking and through Art of Time, we’re looking to evolve the customers’ interest in watches and fuel the passion.”

    A Tumi pop-up also featured in the exhibition, highlighting the Tumi x Chris Pratt collection. There was also a special booth featuring watch winders from Orient Crown, a Singapore-based luxury timepiece accessories company.

    “When we opened our first watch boutique in Penang in 2001, we never expected to become a preeminent watch retailer in the country. Swiss Watch Gallery is indeed a young adult now and we look forward to further strengthening the business beyond the shores of Southeast Asia,” said Ashvin.

  • Hublot India opens its first boutique in Mumbai

    Hublot India opens its first boutique in Mumbai

    Hublot India is launching a flagship boutique at the Palladium Mall in Mumbai, its first standalone store in the market.

    The Swiss watchmaker’s 45sqm boutique is designed to represent Hublot’s “the art of fusion” concept, with pop art paintings forming a backdrop to Hublot Big Bang, Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang, and MP branded watches along with exclusive limited editions.

    “We are delighted and proud to open the first Hublot India Boutique in one of the most well-known luxury retail destinations in the country,” said Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.

    “This opening demonstrates not only the success of the brand, which goes from strength to strength since the birth of the iconic Big Bang in 2005, but also Hublot’s willingness to constantly challenge fine watchmaking by fusing tradition with innovation while offering the highest level of service to its clients.”

  • Breitling unveils new shop at K11 Musea in Hong Kong

    Breitling unveils new shop at K11 Musea in Hong Kong

    Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling has unveiled a new concept boutique at K11 Musea, featuring a “modern retro loft style”.

    Occupying a 620sqft space in the new shopping centre, the Breitling boutique features an industrial loft-style concept which the brand says is inspired by a mid-20th-century heritage building and adding modern-retro elements, including Breitling’s neon logo from the 1940s and 1950s.

    “Opening our boutique in the K11 Musea underscores the importance of the market in Hong Kong for our brand. Our new approach blends contemporary design with inspiration from our rich heritage and longstanding ties to aviation,”  said Georges Kem, CEO at Breitling.

    “We think it is perfect to launch our new concept store here since K11 Musea is built upon a rich cultural history in the city; its innovative vision and sophistication for exclusivity and bespoke products coincides with the values of our brand.”

  • Blancpain opens its largest store in China

    Blancpain opens its largest store in China

    Timepiece brand Blancpain has opened its largest store yet in China in Beijing.

    The 380sqm two-level street front showroom, located at China World Mall near Beijing’s CBD, features an interior that reflects the brand’s heritage, inspired by the Blancpain’s centuries-old farmhouse production facility in Le Brassus, Switzerland

    Polished cherry woodwork and streamlined furniture are placed to conjure up the ambiance of the traditional watchmakers, alongside comfortable seating, a lounge bar, a VIP suite and a sweeping staircase.

    The store offers a customer service center that offers watches servicing as well as product and maintenance advice.