Parent of Kay Jewelers Has Work Left to Make Bling Sing

(Bloomberg) - December brings many seasonal rituals: Swilling eggnog, bopping to “Jingle Bell Rock” and, of course, seeing a gazillion Kay Jewelers ads on TV. The chain is always out in force at this time of year, and for good reason: Jewelry stores, in general, generate a greater share of their annual sales during the holiday rush than many other retail segments. Jewelry stores get a greater share of their sales during the November and December rush than most other types of retailers. In early December, investors learned that Kay’s corporate parent, Signet Jewelers Ltd., entered this important season in a bit better shape than analysts had expected. The company, which also includes the Zales and Jared jewelry chains, bumped up its full-year same-store sales guidance after it delivered a 1.6 percent increase in quarterly comparable sales over a year earlier, its second consecutive period of growth on this measure. Still, don’t count on shoppers giving the company the gift of a turnaround this holiday season.