Top U.S. Department Stores Report Increase in Jewelry Sales

Neiman Marcus, Saks and JCPenny said jewelry was a top-performing category last month

Three of the U.S.’s leading department store chains - Neiman Marcus, Saks and JCPenny – posted their January sales results Thursday. While the results reflected varying outcomes for the three chains, one area was unanimously high: jewelry.

Neiman Marcus, Inc. posted an 8.3 percent rise in total revenues for the four-week period and a 6.8 percent rise in comparable revenues, compared to last year. The company stated that comparable revenues in its specialty retail stores segment, which includes Neiman Marcus Stores and Bergdorf Goodman, increased 4.5 percent. Top-performing merchandise categories within the specialty retail store segment included precious jewelry, women’s couture apparel and dresses, shoes, handbags.

Saks Incorporated posted an overall sales increase of 8 percent compared to last year, with comparable store sales increasing 7 percent for the four week period. The company stated that the strongest categories at Saks Fifth Avenue stores were women's designer and "gold range" apparel, women's shoes, handbags, fashion jewelry, men's apparel and men's shoes.

J.C. Penney Company, Inc. posted a 4.6 percent decrease in comparable store sales for the four-week period ended and a 4.4 percent decrease in total company sales. For the period, women's apparel and fine jewelry were the top performing merchandise divisions.