Revenues of Blue Nile for the fourth fiscal quarter ended on December 30, 2012, increased by 21% to $ 136.1 million, reports Rapaport. However, production costs jumped 24% to $ 110.5 million. The company's revenue for the quarter increased 17% to $ 4.9 million, or 39 cents per share. Online retailer said that sales of engagement jewelry in the US showed an increase of 31% to $ 73.6 million, while sales of other jewelry products increased by only 5% to $ 42.5 million.
International sales in the fourth quarter increased by 27 % % to $ 20 million. The gross profit of Blue Nile for the reporting period fell to 18.8% of net sales, compared with 20.7% a year earlier. The number of new customers of Blue Nile has increased by approximately 8%.
As a result of the financial year, Blue Nile reported revenue growth of 15% to $ 400 million. The company's operating expenses increased by 18% to almost $ 325 million, resulting in a 27% decrease in operating income. Net profit of the company in 2012 fell by 26%, amounting to $ 8.4 million or 64 cents per share.
At the end of 2012, sales of engagement jewelry in the US rose 22% to $ 226.6 million, while revenue from sales of other jewelry products rose 5% to $ 111 million. International sales increased 12% to $ 62.4 million. The number of registered buyers of Blue Nile grew by 18%.