Consumer

Swatch Shares Plunge as Profit Falls 70% on China Weakness

  • CEO Nick Hayek says company has kept workers despite downturn
  • China responsible for majority of drop in profit and sales

An Omega store in Shanghai.

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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Swatch Group AG’s shares fell the most in four years after sales and profit plunged amid a China-led slowdown for Swiss watchmakers and other luxury companies.

The group, whose brands include Omega, Blancpain and jeweler Harry Winston, reported a 70% drop in operating profit and 14% drop in sales for the first six months of the year.