FORM 6-K

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 

Special Report of Foreign Issuer
 

Pursuant to Rule 13a - 16 or 15d - 16 of
The Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
 
 
For the date of  6 August 2009
 
 

SIGNET JEWELERS LIMITED
(Translation of registrant's name into English)

 

Clarendon House,

2 Church Street,

Hamilton HM11,

Bermuda
(Address of principal executive office)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40F.
 

Form 20-F X      Form 40-F
 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to

Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
 

Yes         No X
 

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-
 



signet REPORTS 
SECOND
 quarter 
SALES
 

HAMILTON, Bermuda, 
August
6
, 2009 - 
Signet Jewelers Ltd ("Signet") (NYSE and LSE: SIG), the world's largest specialty retail jeweler, 
today announced its sales performance 
for the 13 
and 26 weeks ended 
August 
1, 
2009.

13 WEEKS 
ENDED
AUGUST
 1,
 
2009

Same store sales
 
fell 
5.3%
 in the 13 week period. Total
 sales were 
down
 
7.5% 
on a reported basis to 
$
710.9
 million (13 weeks to 
August
 2,
 2008
: 
$768.9
 million) reflecting
 an underlying decrease of 
3.2% at constant exchange rates (see Note 1). 
The breakdown of the sales performance was as follows:


                      
Sales
Change on Previous Year
 

 $
m

% of Total
Reported
At Constant Exchange Rates
Same Store
 Sales

US
552.5
78
%
(4.0)
%
(4.0)
%
(5.5)
%
UK
158.
4
22
%
(18.1)
%
(0.
4
)
%
   (4.3)
%
(a)
GROUP
710.
9
100
%
(7.
5
)
%
(3.
2
)
%
 (5.3)
%


(a)  
Same store sales
: 
H.Samuel
 
(2.5)% and Ernest Jones 
(6.2)%.

26 WEEKS 
ENDED
AUGUST 
1, 
2009

Same store
 sales 
were down 
by 
4.0
% in the 26 week period. Total
 sales were 
down 
7.4
% on a reported basis to 
$1,473.5
 
million
 (26 weeks to 
August 2, 2008: $1,591.
4
 million)
 reflecting an underlying decrease of 
2.2
%
 at constant exchange rates (see Note 1).
The average US dollar
 
exchange rate for 
the period was £1/$1.
54
 (26 weeks to August 2, 2008
: £1/$1.
98).
The breakdown of the sales performance was as follows:


                
Sales
                 
Change on Previous Year

$
m

% of Total
Reported
At Constant Exchange Rates
Same Store
 Sales
US 
1,177.4
80
%
(2.4)
%
(2.4)
%
(4.0)
%
UK
 
296.1
20
%
(23.0)
%
(1.
0
)
%
    (4.2)
%
(b)
GROUP
1,473.5
100
%
(7.4)
%
(2.
2
)
%
(4.0)
%


(b)  
Same store
 sales: 
H.Samuel
 
(2.2)% and Ernest Jones 
(6.5)%.

Terry Burman, Chief Executive, commented, "
US same store sales were down 5.5% in the second quarter, 
slowing a little from that of 
the first quarter after 
the
 Valentine's Day
 period
. 
 In the 
UK
 same store sales were down 
4.3
%
, in line with the first quarter. 
 
While the outlook on both sides of the 
Atlantic
 remains uncertain,
the Group will continue to seek to capitalize on market share opportunities with a strong focus on customer service and merchandise initiatives."



Enquiries
Terry Burman, Chief Executive, Signet Jewelers
+1 441 296 5872

Walker Boyd, Finance Director, Signet Jewelers
+1 441 296 5872

 


Michael Henson, Taylor Rafferty
+1 
212
 
889
 
4350

Simon Sporborg
, 
Brunswick
+44 (0)20 7404 5959




Signet operated 1,952
 specialty retail jewelry stores at 
August 
1, 
2009
; these included 1,396
 stores in the US, where the Group trades as "Kay Jewelers", "Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry" and under a number of regional names. At that date Signet operated
556
 stores in the 
UK
, where the Group trades as "H.Samuel", "Ernest Jones" and "Leslie Davis". Further information on Signet is 
available at 
www.signet
jewelers
.com.
 
 See also 
www.kay.com
, 
www.jared.com
, 
www.hsamuel.co.uk
 
and 
www.ernestjones.co.uk
.


Investor Relations
 Program Details

Second Quarter Results
The results for the 13 and 
26
 week periods to 
August
 1, 2009
 are expected to be announced at 7.30 a.m. (EDT) on 
Wednesday,
September 9,
 2009. On that day there will be a conference call chaired by Terry Burman at 
8.30
 a.m. (
EDT) (1.30
 p.m. 
BST
 and 
5.30
 a.m. Pacific Time) and a simultaneous audio
 webcast and slide presentation 
available at 
www.signetjewelers.com. 
 The slides will be available to be downloaded from the website ahead of the call.
 
The 
call 
details are:


US dial-in: 
+1 718 354 1385

US 48hr replay:
+1 718 354 1112
Access code: 5322040#



European 
dial-in:
+44 (0)20 7806 1953

European
 
48hr replay
:
+44 (0)20 7806 1970
Access code: 
5322040#




Goldman Sachs 16th Annual Global Retailing Conference in 
New York
Signet will be presenting at the Goldman Sachs 16
th
 Annual Global Retailing Conference taking place in 
New York
 on Thursday, September 10, 2009. The presentation, which will also be webcast on www.signetjewelers.com, will be given by Terry Burman, Chief Executive. Terry Burman and Walker Boyd, Finance Director, will also be available for one-on-one meetings.

Store Visit
, New York
 City/Watchung, NJ
A half day store tour for professional investors will be held in New York City/Watchung, NJ 
on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The tour will be hosted by Terry Burman, Chief Executive, Mark Light, Chief Executive of Signet's 
US
 division and Tim Jackson, Investor Relations Director.
 
 
Note 
1
 - Impact of constant exchange rates

Signet
 has historically used constant exchange rates to compare period-to-period changes in certain financial data. This is referred to as 'at constant exchange rates' throughout this release. 
Signet
 considers this to be a useful measure for analy
z
ing and explaining changes and trends in 
its
 results. The impact of the re-calculation of sales at constant exchange rates, including 
a reconciliation
 to GAAP sales, is shown below.

13 weeks 
ended
 August 
1, 
2009


13 weeks ended
 
August
 1,
 
2009
as reported

13 weeks ended 
August
 2,
 2008
 

as reported
   
 

Growth at actual exchange 
rates


Impact of exchange rate movement

13 weeks ended 
August
 2,

 2008
 
at constant exchange rates 
(non-GAAP)

Growth at constant exchange
 rates 
(non-GAAP)


$
m

$
m

%

$
m

$
m

%
Sales by origin and destination












US

552.5

575.
6

(4.0)

-

575.
6

(4.0)
UK
, Channel Islands & Republic of 
Ireland
 

158.
4

193.
3

(18.1)

(34.
2
)

159.1

(0.
4
)


710.
9

768.
9

(7.
5
)

(34.2
)

734.
7

(3.
2
)




26 weeks 
ended
 
August
 1,
 
2009


26 weeks ended
August
 1,
2009
as reported

26 weeks ended 
August
 2,
 2008

as reported

Growth at actual exchange 
rates


Impact of exchange rate movement

26 weeks ended 
August
 2,

 2008
 
at constant exchange rates 
(non-GAAP)

Growth at constant exchange
 
r
ates 
(non-GAAP)


$
m

$
m

%

$
m

$
m

%
Sales by origin and destination












US

1,177.4

1,206.
7

(2.4)

-

1,206.
7

(2.4)
UK
, Channel Islands & Republic of 
Ireland

296.1

384.7

(23.0)

(85.5)

299.2

(1.
0
)


1,473.5

1,
5
91.4

(
7
.4)

(85.5)

1,505.9

(2.
2
)




This release includes statements which are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, based upon management's beliefs as well as on assumptions made by and data currently available to management, appear in a number of places throughout this release and include statements regarding, among other things, our results of operation, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the industry in which 
Signet
 operates. Our use of the words "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimates," "may," "forecast," "objective," "plan" or "target," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to general economic conditions, the merchandising, pricing and
 inventory policies followed by management
, the reputation of the 
business
, the level of competition in the jewe
l
ry sector, the price and availability of diamonds, gold and other precious metals, seasonality of the business and financial market risk.

For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially, see the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's
 fiscal
 200
9
 
a
nnual 
r
eport on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on
 April 1
, 200
9
 and other filings made by the Company with the Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein may not be reali
z
ed. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.


 

 


 

 


SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
 

 

SIGNET JEWELERS LIMITED
   
 

By: /s/ Walker Boyd
   
   
 

Name: Walker Boyd
 

Title:  Group Finance Director


Date: 6 August 2009