A second quarter of growth for Estée Lauder while a luxury fragrance brands grows 90% YoY. This was last week in beauty.
ESTÉE LAUDER Q3 FY 2026 ORGANIC SALES RISE 2% TO $3.7BN
Estée Lauder generated organic third-quarter net sales of $3.7 billion, up 2% (5% reported), with fragrance leading at 10% organic growth driven by Le Labo and Tom Ford, while mainland China posted 6% organic growth marking its third consecutive quarter of share gains in prestige beauty. The company now expects full-year organic sales growth of about 3% and forecasts fiscal 2027 growth of 3% to 5% with adjusted operating margin approaching 13%.
PUIG Q1 FY 2026 LIKE-FOR-LIKE SALES RISE 4.7% TO €1.22 BN
Puig reported first-quarter 2026 net revenue of €1,215 million, up 4.7% on a like-for-like basis (0.8% reported), with currency headwinds weighing on reported figures. Asia-Pacific led regional performance with 26.1% LFL growth, while the Fragrance and Fashion segment grew 3.9% and Makeup rose 9.2% driven by Charlotte Tilbury, as Puig confirmed full-year guidance to again outperform the premium beauty market.
ESTÉE LAUDER SAID TO CONSIDER €18-19 PER SHARE OFFER FOR PUIG
Estée Lauder is reportedly considering a tender offer for all Class B shares of Puig at a price between €18 and €19 per share, according to Spanish newspaper Expansión. Puig shares traded at €17.84 on April 29th, down 27% from their IPO price, with negotiations continuing on financial and governance issues.
UNILEVER BEAUTY & WELLBEING Q1 FY 2026 SALES RISE 3.6% AT €3.1BN
Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing division posted 3.6% underlying sales growth in the first quarter of 2026, driven equally by volume (1.9%) and price (1.6%), with emerging markets carrying momentum while developed markets remained flat. Hair care grew at a high-single-digit rate led by Dove’s double-digit gains and K18’s expansion, while Skin Care advanced low-single-digits with strong US performance from Vaseline, and the Wellbeing segment contracted slightly against a tough prior-year comparison.
AMOREPACIFIC Q1 FY 2026 SALES UP 5% AT €710M
Amorepacific Group reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of €710m (KRW 1.227 trillion) at +5.0% YoY and operating profit of €80m (KRW 137.8 billion) at +6.9% YoY, driven by derma skincare brands including AESTURA, COSRX and ILLIYOON, as well as expansion in North America and Japan. Domestic revenue rose 9% with operating profit surging 65%, while overseas revenue grew 6% though operating profit declined 18% due to increased marketing investment and ongoing restructuring in China.
AMOREPACIFIC CHAIRMAN TRANSFERS SHARES TO SECOND DAUGHTER
Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung-bae has transferred 190,000 common shares worth €200m (KRW30 billion) to his second daughter Hojung Suh, reducing his stake to 8.74% and signaling a shift in succession plans toward her. While eldest daughter Minjung has stepped back from management and divested holdings, Hojung is gaining experience within O’Sulloc and retains convertible preferred shares, suggesting a more competitive, merit-based leadership transition.
AMOUAGE Q1 FY 2026 SALES SURGE 90% TO $190M
Omani fragrance house Amouage reported first-quarter 2026 estimated retail sales exceeding $190 million, a 90% increase year-over-year, marking the brand’s largest quarter ever with double- or triple-digit growth across all geographies. The U.S. saw sales up 135%, Asia rose 124% driven by China, and Saudi Arabia grew 170%, as the brand continues to show resilience despite the Middle East conflict.
PARFUMS DE MARLY & INITIO SURPASS $1BN IN RETAIL SALES
Parfums de Marly and Initio Parfums Privés surpassed $1bn in combined retail sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, with Parfums de Marly growing 42% above $780m and Initio rising 32% to above $220 million. Parent company Artessence Group plans to open at least 20 additional freestanding stores in the coming year, with new boutiques confirmed for New York, Miami and Hong Kong.
WELEDA COSMETICS SALES REACH €401.9M IN 2025
Weleda’s cosmetics sales grew 9.2% to €401.9 million in 2025, surpassing the €400 million mark for the first time, driven by CEO Tina Müller’s strategy focused on innovation, digitization, internationalization and premiumization. The brand entered new categories including premium facial care with Cell Longevity, UV protection, and hair and body mists, while successfully attracting younger consumers through social-first campaigns like the viral Serum Booster Drops.
GROUPE BOGART REPORTS 2025 REVENUE DROP AND NET LOSS
French fragrance group Groupe Bogart saw 2025 revenue fall 8.5% to €264.1 million with a net loss of €22.6 million, citing a deteriorating economic and geopolitical environment, U.S. tariffs, and store closures across Europe. The company remains confident in a return to growth for its Fragrances & Cosmetics division in 2026, supported by new product launches and the planned acquisition of Germany’s Parfümerie Pieper network.
GROUPE BOGART ACQUIRES STADTPARFÜMERIE PIEPER
The Konckier family, majority shareholder of Groupe Bogart, has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Stadtparfümerie Pieper, a German selective perfume retail network with 110 stores, as part of a restructuring process. The acquisition aims to strengthen the French group’s vertical integration and provide a privileged outlet for its Bogart Fragrances & Cosmetics division, as Bogart continues to build a European network of nearly 450 points of sale.
ESTÉE LAUDER TAKES MINORITY STAKE IN 111SKIN
The Estée Lauder Cos. has acquired a minority stake in London-based luxury clinical skin care brand 111Skin, which was co-founded by Dr. Yannis and Eva Alexandrides in 2012, as part of its “Beauty Reimagined” strategy to target procedure-inspired, high-performance skin care. Industry sources estimate the brand’s annual net sales between $40m and $50m, with North America representing 40% of sales, and the existing leadership team will remain in place.
HENKEL COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF NOT YOUR MOTHER’S
Henkel has finalized its acquisition of North American haircare brand Not Your Mother’s, adding trend-led ranges like Clean Freak, Curl Talk and Beach Babe to its Consumer Brands division. The deal supports Henkel’s strategy to strengthen its position in haircare by combining its global scale with NYM’s agility and consumer-focused innovation.
RELIANCE RETAIL ACQUIRES PRIYANKA CHOPRA’S HAIRCARE BRAND ANOMALY
Reliance Retail has acquired Anomaly, the affordable vegan haircare brand founded by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, from US incubator Maesa, with the actress remaining as creative director. The Indian retail giant plans to scale the brand through its omnichannel network including its Tira beauty chain, while also expanding Anomaly’s international footprint.
FEDEX AND UPS TO REFUND CUSTOMS DUTIES TO CLIENTS
FedEx and UPS have announced they will pass back to their customers any refunds received from the U.S. government after the Supreme Court invalidated certain tariffs imposed under the Trump administration, potentially covering about $166bn in illegally collected duties. UPS collected roughly $5bn from clients and said it will work with customs to obtain reimbursements, while FedEx has also filed a legal claim and will remit funds as soon as they are received.
CHINA WARNS EU OVER ‘MADE IN EUROPE’ INDUSTRIAL PLAN
China has criticized the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, which would require companies in key sectors to source locally produced components for public funding, labeling it “systemic discrimination” against Chinese firms. Beijing warned it will take countermeasures if the legislation proceeds, amid rising trade tensions that could impact global beauty industry supply chains.
SAKS GLOBAL WINS COURT APPROVAL FOR $500M EXIT FINANCING
A federal bankruptcy judge approved Saks Global’s $500 million exit financing package, which will provide the retailer with sufficient liquidity to support operations and long-term growth upon emerging from Chapter 11 this summer. The financing, negotiated with an ad hoc group of debtholders, comes as Saks has resolved key disputes with vendors and landlord Simon Property Group.
FDA DEPLOYS AI-POWERED SYSTEM TO MONITOR COSMETICS SAFETY
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a new AI-powered Adverse Event Monitoring System using ThinkTrends’ agentic Document AI platform, capable of processing 6–7 million adverse event reports annually across cosmetics, drugs and medical devices. The system automates intake and analysis of unstructured data from emails, PDFs and handwritten reports to enhance the agency’s ability to detect and respond to safety signals more efficiently.
MARC CHAYA DEPARTS MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN
Marc Chaya, co-founder and CEO of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, is leaving the LVMH-owned niche fragrance house he built into a global powerhouse, though he will remain as a strategic adviser to LVMH’s perfumes and cosmetics division. Francis Kurkdjian continues as creative director, and Véronique Courtois will serve as interim president while the brand develops its future organization.
CHARLES LECLERC NAMED L’ORÉAL PARIS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR
Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc has been named a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, fronting the Men Expert and hair care lines, with a campaign for Men Expert Hydra Energetic launching in June. The eight-time Grand Prix winner, who grew up around L’Oréal products thanks to his hairdresser mother, joins a roster including Kendall Jenner and Jane Fonda as the brand aims to connect with men and champion female empowerment.
