L'Oréal reduces its expectations
L'Oréal has posted year-on-year sales growth for the second quarter of only 1% at €4.28bn, below market expectations. The cosmetics major earlier forecast growth in sales this year of between 6% and 8% and has now opted for the lower figure, adding that it is confident of its ability to get close to this 6% target.
L'Oréal has posted year-on-year sales growth for the second quarter of only 1% at €4.28bn, below market expectations. The cosmetics major earlier forecast growth in sales this year of between 6% and 8% and has now opted for the lower figure, adding that it is confident of its ability to get close to this 6% target.
In terms of stable exchange rates, growth in the first and second quarters was 5.3% and 5.5% respectively. Factors pushing results downwards include the US market slowdown and dollar weakness. Sales in the first quarter dipped 0.5% in the US and 1.3% in Western Europe. Full half-year results are to be published at the end of August but L'Oréal's first half 2008 sales were up 1.6% to about €8.4bn. The most promising results came from the so-called new markets with growth of 19.4% in Asia and 25.9% in Eastern Europe.