* LVMH jewellery, watch head says sales down since Jan. 1
* Says cannot reaffirm 2009 target of stable profitability
* To slow down store openings, delay advertising into H2
(Adds details, analyst comments, share price)
By Astrid Wendlandt and Katie Reid
BASEL, March 30 (Reuters) - The watches and jewellery division of world number one luxury group LVMH has seen sales fall since Jan. 1 and is unable to confirm its full-year profitability target, the unit's head told Reuters on Monday.
The division plans to slow down store openings and delay ad expenditure, Philippe Pascal added in an interview at Baselworld, the world's biggest watch and jewellery fair.
"We are phasing out our investments and advertising towards the second half of the year because the consumer is not in the best shopping mood right now," Pascal said.
The division, which includes watch brand Tag Heuer, its biggest contributor to sales and profits, as well as jewellers Chaumet and Fred, said last month its goal for 2009 was to "consolidate" its profitability.
"I cannot say if we will reach that target at this stage," Pascal said. "There is total lack of visibility ... (It is) too early to say."
Pascal said there were fewer buyers this year in Basel than last year. Sales had suffered most in the United States and Spain but proved relatively resilient in Australia, Korea and Hong Kong.
Asked about the division's sales since the start of the year, Pascal said: "Yes, we are seeing a decline. But our objective is to continue to gain market share."
Some analysts predict the global watch market will drop up to 10 percent in 2009.
"The comments highlight that there is no place to hide, no brand is sheltered from these economic conditions," said one Zurich-based analyst who did not wish to be named.
The analyst expected first-quarter sales at the LVMH unit to be down by a "high teens" percentage amount.
LVMH's watches and jewellery unit, which also includes Hublot and de Beers, saw operating profit fall 16 percent last year to 118 million euros ($156 million) on revenue of 879 million, down 2 percent year-on-year on a like-for-like basis.
Despite comments by LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault to the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that the group was "about to enter a market of buyers over the next six to eight months," Pascal said the division was not actively looking for acquisitions.
"We have a wait-and-see attitude," he said.
The division plans to open about five shops this year, including new stores for De Beers watches in China, down from a total of 15 last year, Pascal said.
He added that the division was adopting a cautious attitude towards costs but he declined to be drawn on possible job cuts.
LVMH shares were down 2.13 percent at 45.82 euros by 1047 GMT. ($1=.7560 Euro) (Editing by James Regan)