Tiffany & Co. (TIF) Warns Its Profit Will Drop In 2016 As A Stronger Dollar Hurts Tourist Spending

Upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co said Friday it expects profit to fall in the first half of 2016 as a strong dollar hurts tourist spending at its stores in the United States and erodes revenue from other markets.

Weakness in the global economy and a strong dollar have reduced tourist spending on luxury items in the United States.

Tiffany's reluctance to offer promotions also discouraged thrifty shoppers, especially during the holiday season.

The company said on Friday that it expected profit per share to fall by 15-20 percent in the current quarter and by 5-10 percent in the second quarter, based on the trends seen so far.

Sales at its established stores open for at least a year fell 10 percent in the Americas in the fourth quarter. Analysts had expected a drop of 9.4 percent, according to research firm Consensus Metrix.

The company's net income declined nearly 17 percent to $163.2 million, or $1.28 per share, in the quarter ended Jan. 31.

Excluding items, Tiffany earned $1.46 per share, beating the average analyst estimate of $1.40, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Its net sales fell 5.6 percent to $1.21 billion, but were in line with the average estimate.