Earnings

Firm’s future, as a separate business nearly 90% owned by Bausch Health, or as a standalone with different ownership or one not controlled by a majority owner, claims high profile in analysts’ comments and predictions. B+L is in the driver’s seat, they say.

Galderma Group AG’s investments in Cetaphil launch, ‘re-energizing’ of brand pay off with sales of the dermatology unit up 10.6% in the third quarter. Separately, Spanish beauty company Puig reports its Fragrance and Fashion business grew 11.1% and its makeup division advanced 7.3% in the quarter, while data insights company Consumer Edge identifies slowdown in direct-to-consumer beauty sales.

Beiersdorf AG will back the NIVEA skin care brand with the strongest ‘launch and relaunch’ innovation pipeline in the brand’s history in 2025, says CEO Vincent Warnery during a 24 October quarterly sales presentation.

Dermatological Beauty grew only 0.8% in L’Oréal’s third quarter, hampered by US sluggishness attributed in part to lack of innovation in the CeraVe brand. The company announced the launch of two new products that should help to boost the division’s sales in the fourth quarter and reaffirmed confidence in China and L’Oréal’s 2025 prospects.

While Beauty was the poorest performer among P&G’s five business units in the fiscal 2025 first quarter, the decline mostly reflects a 20% organic sales drop in skin care due to ongoing struggles in China. Beauty in North America grew 8% and in Europe 6%, the firm reported in an 18 October earnings report, reaffirming its full-year outlook for all-in sales growth in the range of 2%-4%.

Coty Inc.’s preliminary fiscal first-quarter sales growth of 4%-5% like-for-like versus expectations of 6% and LMVH’s third-quarter report showing soft sales of Selective Retailing and Cosmetics & Perfumes signal a slowdown in consumer spending in the US beauty market, analysts agree.

The Bolingbrook, Ill.-based beauty retailer cuts its fiscal full year 2025 guidance, citing shoppers’ migration to value-based products and competitive intensity, among other factors. The firm reported net sales for the fiscal second quarter inched up 0.9% to $2.6bn.

CEO Sue Nabi says Coty has created a “multi-functional, stand-alone organization” within its Consumer Beauty business to drive rapid-fire innovation. In a 20 August presentation, Nabi said the firm’s innovation pipeline undergirds its fiscal 2025 outlook of 6%-8% growth.

The beauty giant expects organic sales growth for fiscal 2025 to range between -1% and 2%, falling well short of analyst consensus of 7.2%, reflecting the firm’s overexposure in China and Asia travel retail. A new CEO is incoming with Fabrizio Freda set to step down in June 2025.

Marking a first for the iconic brand, Eucerin Face is rolling out in Target doors now, Beiersdorf leaders noted in a 7 August half-year earnings presentation. The firm’s Consumer business segment recorded nominal sales growth of 5.4% to €4.3bn in the first half of 2024, led by Nivea.

Since its launch of e.l.f. UP! last year on gaming platform Roblox, e.l.f. Beauty has achieved the number one branded experience on the platform with a 95% positive rating and 14 million plays. The firm’s fiscal first-quarter sales jumped 50% to $324.5m.

“We continue to believe that taking care of your health or someone in your family is the last place to look to make a change or save a few pennies,” says CEO Ron Lombardi. Firm more frequently using air freight services so Clear Eyes products are on store shelves when consumers expect.

Inter Parfums, Inc.’s second quarter sales grew 11% on “robust” fragrance environment, strength of legacy brands and speedy ramp-up of new brands, CEO Jean Madar said. Meanwhile, Symrise’s Scent & Care division sales grew 12.1% in the 2024 first half, while Givaudan’s fragrance and beauty sales jumped 15.3%. More fragrance news.

Church & Dwight’s slower sales at retail in June-July than in January-May point to still slower results for rest of year. It doesn’t expect second-half help from gummy vitamin lines or give them a full vote of confidence for remaining in portfolio.

L’Oréal's European business recorded sales growth of 9.7% to €3.55bn in the second quarter as consumer confidence grows, while in the US sales slowed for the dermatological beauty business and consumers in China are value-shopping.

Brimonidine tartrate eye drops remain key sales driver among Canadian firm’s consumer health lines with 12% growth in the latest quarter. B+L expects pending launch of preservative-free line extension to sustain Lumify as a driver as generics of original formulation are approved.

P&G's FY2024 Q4 net sales were flat at $20.5bn, lower than consensus estimates, but the firm says its underlying business divisions are healthy and forecasts FY2025 sales up 2% to 4%, up 3% to 5% organically.

Unilever hopes to double the value of its product innovations this year, ultimately targeting as many as 12 innovations, each costing more than €100m, beginning in 2025, CEO Hein Schumacher says during 25 July earnings presentation.

More than a decade after acquiring vitafusion and L’il Critter gummy vitamin brands and touting gummy as a key growth driver in the VMS space, C&D’s seeing different market trends.

For Kenvue, 2023 “was really about separating from J&J” as a segment “mostly focused on profit and cash,” says CEO Thibaut Mongon. “But in 2024, you see a very different Kenvue in action.”