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LJ International (ticker: JADE), a Hong Kong and US company engaging in the design, branding, marketing and distribution of jewelry, is having trouble determining how many China retail stores to open this year. Details:


On February 22nd:

....LJI's first China store, a 5,000-square-foot upscale outlet in Hong Kong's jewelry district, opened last March and is already profitable.  In Shanghai, the Company has followed its initial opening in November 2004 with a second store.  With sales in Shanghai strong after just two months, LJI now plans to open a third store in that city by the end of March.  Current trends indicate that the Company should be able to reach a goal of 10 new store openings during 2005.

On March 24th:

....In China, LJI opened three stores in 2004 -- one in Hong Kong and two in Shanghai.  It expects to open three more by the end of April and an additional by the end of October, bringing its total to seven.  Of the four new stores, one will be in Shanghai, two will be in Beijing and one will be in Harbin.

On April 28th:

.....announced plans to open four new stores during May in Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin.  

The openings will bring total ENZO locations in China to seven.  By the end of this year, the Company said, it expects to open at least five more stores, bringing its total ENZO outlets in China to 12.....

Comment: Any surprise the stock is off dramatically this year? The company seems to change strategy from one month to the next. Any bets on how many store openings the company will announce next month?