L'Oreal sales rise 9.4% as mass market makeup outshines luxury
L'Oreal's Q1 sales better than expected
Driven by Europe, North America
Sales at consumer division, company's biggest, grew 11.1%
Recasts with analyst comment, detail throughout
By Dominique Patton and Mimosa Spencer
PARIS, April 18 (Reuters) -L'Oreal OREP.PA reported a 9.4% rise in first quarter sales on a like-for-like basis on Thursday, beating expectations and easing concerns about a slowdown in the two biggest beauty markets the United States and China.
The French cosmetics giant, which owns the Maybelline and Lancome brands, reported sales of 11.24 billion euros ($11.98 billion) for the first three months to the end of March.
The sales growth exceeded a consensus of a 6.1% rise cited by analysts at Jefferies. Sales were up 8.3% on a reported basis.
L'Oreal, the world's biggest beauty company, said sales in both North America and Europe grew by more than 12%, as its mass market range and dermatological products compensated for weakness in the luxury segment.
The West "continues to power on," Jefferies analysts said following the results, adding North America had defied weakening scanner data and downbeat retailer commentary.
U.S. retailer Ulta Beauty ULTA.O earlier this month rattled the market with comment about a faster-than-expected slowdown in the United States that hit shares across the sector.
Following Thursday's results, L'Oreal's American depositary receipts (ADRs) gained as much as 6.5% in New York trading, while shares in U.S. rivals Estee Lauder EL.N and Coty COTY.N also rose.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
L'Oreal said its consumer products division, which includes its L'Oreal Paris range of mascaras and Elseve hair gloss and accounts for more than a third of its revenues, grew 11.1% on a like-for-like basis.
The company benefited from higher volumes as well as value in the unit, with strong demand in Europe and emerging markets.
The smaller but fast-growing dermatological beauty unit, which sells La Roche-Posay and CeraVe skincare, grew 21.9%, as it continued to benefit from medical recommendations.
Sales in the luxury division that markets fragrances such as YSL's Libre and Aesop products acquired last year, grew by 1.8%, beating expectations for a decline, as strong growth in Europe and North America helped offset softness in North Asia.
North Asia suffered from an unfavourable comparison base in Travel Retail and sluggish market growth in mainland China, the company said.
Jefferies analysts said travel retail sales were also dented by a Chinese government crackdown on resellers of foreign consumer products, known as "daigou".
L'Oreal has the biggest share of China's luxury beauty market, or about 34%, Chief Executive Nicolas Hieronimus told analysts on a call.
"We are unhappy about the fact that this market is not rebounding the way we expected it to rebound," he said, but added that the company is still outperforming the market.
The company grew 6.2% in China, compared to less than 1% in the broader market, he said.
Shares in L'Oreal, Europe's 6th most valuable listed company, with a market capitalisation of about 220 billion euro ($234.26 billion), have lost 6% so far this year, compared to a 5% fall at U.S. peer Estee Lauder EL.N.
($1 = 0.9383 euros)
LVMH sales growth slips on luxury spending slowdown - Reuters News ID:nL2N3GP22C
Reporting by Dominique Patton and Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Susan Fenton and Barbara Lewis
면책조항: XM Group 회사는 체결 전용 서비스와 온라인 거래 플랫폼에 대한 접근을 제공하여, 개인이 웹사이트에서 또는 웹사이트를 통해 이용 가능한 콘텐츠를 보거나 사용할 수 있도록 허용합니다. 이에 대해 변경하거나 확장할 의도는 없습니다. 이러한 접근 및 사용에는 다음 사항이 항상 적용됩니다: (i) 이용 약관, (ii) 위험 경고, (iii) 완전 면책조항. 따라서, 이러한 콘텐츠는 일반적인 정보에 불과합니다. 특히, 온라인 거래 플랫폼의 콘텐츠는 금융 시장에서의 거래에 대한 권유나 제안이 아닙니다. 금융 시장에서의 거래는 자본에 상당한 위험을 수반합니다.
온라인 거래 플랫폼에 공개된 모든 자료는 교육/정보 목적으로만 제공되며, 금융, 투자세 또는 거래 조언 및 권고, 거래 가격 기록, 금융 상품 또는 원치 않는 금융 프로모션의 거래 제안 또는 권유를 포함하지 않으며, 포함해서도 안됩니다.
이 웹사이트에 포함된 모든 의견, 뉴스, 리서치, 분석, 가격, 기타 정보 또는 제3자 사이트에 대한 링크와 같이 XM이 준비하는 콘텐츠 뿐만 아니라, 제3자 콘텐츠는 일반 시장 논평으로서 "현재" 기준으로 제공되며, 투자 조언으로 여겨지지 않습니다. 모든 콘텐츠가 투자 리서치로 해석되는 경우, 투자 리서치의 독립성을 촉진하기 위해 고안된 법적 요건에 따라 콘텐츠가 의도되지 않았으며, 준비되지 않았다는 점을 인지하고 동의해야 합니다. 따라서, 관련 법률 및 규정에 따른 마케팅 커뮤니케이션이라고 간주됩니다. 여기에서 접근할 수 있는 앞서 언급한 정보에 대한 비독립 투자 리서치 및 위험 경고 알림을 읽고, 이해하시기 바랍니다.
