De Beers Diamond Sales Up 27%, Cautious Outlook

The De Beers Group said Friday that total sales increased 26 percent year-over-year to $7.4 billion. Sales of rough diamonds by the Diamond Trading Company, the company’s the rough diamond sales and distribution arm, increased 27 percent for the year to $6.5 billion—the second highest level of sales for the diamond giant. Diamond prices for 2011 rose 29 percent as diamond production fell 5 percent to 31.3 million carats, compared with 2010.

EBITDA for the year increased 21 percent to $1.7 billion with third party debt reduced to $1.3 billion, compared with $1.8 billion in 2010.

De Beers described 2011 as “a year of two halves.” The first “saw exceptional consumer demand growth which, when coupled with lower than historical levels of global diamond production, resulted in very strong polished and rough diamond price growth,” the South African-based company said. “Rough diamond prices in this period included an element of speculative buying in the trading centers.”

However, in the second half of the year demand fell as “both retail and cutting center sentiment was impacted by the challenging macro-economic environment, restricted liquidity (particularly in dollars) in the cutting centers and a slowdown in the rate of growth of consumer demand at retail,” the company said.

De Beers Diamond Jewellers, a diamond jewelry retail venture with LVMH, reported “good growth” in sales across all regions, with greater China particularly strong. “The China opportunity is a priority for De Beers, with further 2012 expansion plans following the opening of stores in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian and a second Hong Kong store in 2011,” the company said.

De Beers Forevermark diamond brand continued its expansion as it entered India and the U.S. during the second half of the year.  Forevermark is now available in 658 retail doors across nine markets, an increase of 89 percent compared with 2010.

In its outlook, De Beers said that despite economic uncertainty and “barring a global economic shock,” it expects “to see continued growth in global diamond jewelry sales, albeit at lower levels than the exceptional 2011 growth,” driven by luxury goods sales, improving sentiment in the US (the largest diamond jewelry market), continued growth in China, and “the positive impact of the 2011 polished price growth on retail jewelry prices.”

On the production side, the company said it does not expect an increase in diamond carat production in 2012 and that it will “ramp-up profitable carat production as Sightholder demand dictates. In the medium to longer term, the industry fundamentals remain positive with consumer demand, fueled by the emerging markets of China and India, outpacing what will likely be level carat production.”

This should be the last time in the 80-plus-year history of De Beers that it will file an annual report under the ownership of the Oppenheimer family. On November 4, 2011, the family agreed to sell its 40 percent interest of De Beers to its main partner, Anglo American, for $5.1 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2012.

On Wednesday, De Beers named Gareth Mostyn as its new CFO and board member.