Michael Hill Jeweller | |
Company type | Public |
ASX: MHJ NZX: MHJ | |
Industry | Retail |
Founded | 1979Whangārei, New Zealand | in
Headquarters | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
Number of locations | 300 (June 2024) [1] |
Area served |
|
Key people | Michael Hill (Founder President) Emma Hill (Chairman) Daniel Bracken (CEO) |
Products | Jewellery |
Brands | Michael Hill, Emma & Roe |
Revenue | ![]() |
Website | www www www |
Michael Hill International Ltd. is a speciality retailer of jewellery. As of June 2024, it operates 300 stores in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. [1] The company employs approximately 2,600 permanent employees. [3] Its headquarters are in Brisbane, Australia.
The company started in 1979, when Michael Hill and his wife, Christine, opened their first store in the New Zealand town of Whangārei. A unique retail jewellery formula that included dramatically different store designs, a product range devoted exclusively to jewellery and almost saturation levels of high impact advertising elevated the company to national prominence. [2]
The company expanded to 10 stores by 1987, the same year it listed on the NZX. Also in this year, Michael Hill Jeweller expanded into Australia, opening four stores. [4]
In 2000, Michael Hill Jeweller had 40 stores in New Zealand, including 12 in Auckland. [5]
In 2002, the company expanded into Canada, opening its first stores in Vancouver, British Columbia. [6] Michael Hill now has a presence in five Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. [2] In September 2008, the company entered the United States market by acquiring 17 stores in Illinois and Missouri from Whitehall Jewelers. [2] [7] By mid-2013 over 60% of overall sales were from Australia, only 20% from New Zealand, with the rest from North America. [8]
Emma Hill, the daughter of Michael Hill, succeeded him as chairperson after the November 2015 annual general meeting. [9]
In April 2018, Michael Hill closed their nine remaining stores in the US. [10]
In April 2023, Michael Hill announced it would acquire Australian jewellery chain Bevilles and its 26 stores for A$45 million. [11]
In late 2006, following a five-year trial, [12] the company launched its own brand of watches under the Michael Hill name, phasing out all but the Citizen brand of watches by the middle of 2007. [13] By mid-2008, only Michael Hill-brand watches were available in the company's stores. [7]