China buoys Tiffany & Co holiday sales

U.S. jeweler Tiffany & Co said it reported record sales for the 2020 holiday period as consumers stuck at home shopped more online and shoppers in China spent more on jewelry.

The company, which will soon be bought by France’s LVMH , said its overall preliminary net sales rose about 2% for the period Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, compared with a year earlier, with e-commerce sales surging more than 80% during the period.

The 2020 holiday season was unusual as the virus outbreak upended shopping patterns, with more consumers avoiding malls and retail stores and opting to shop online.

Tiffany, known for its engagement rings and robin’s egg blue boxes, said net sales in the Asia-Pacific region soared 20%, with mainland China posting a growth of over 50%.

“During this period, we saw the Chinese Mainland market continue to drive our overall sales growth,” Chief Executive Officer Alessandro Bogliolo said.

However, net sales in Americas and Europe declined as it lost out on some crucial in-store sales in certain markets.

Last week, Tiffany’s shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favor of LVMH’s $15.8 billion deal, about $400 million lower than the European luxury giant’s first offer.