The Estée Lauder Companies Inc today reported net sales of US$3.56 billion for its first quarter ended 30 September, a decrease of -9% on a reported basis and in constant currency terms. Within this, travel retail net sales were relatively flat year-on-year but the channel surged in China, led by business on Hainan Island (see below).
Net sales from the company’s acquisition of Dr. Jart+ contributed about three percentage points to net sales growth. Declines driven by retail store closures and lower foot traffic attributable to COVID-19 were partially offset by strong growth online.
The company reported net earnings of US$523 million, down by -12% year-on-year.
President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda said: “We are pleased with the stronger than expected start to our fiscal year amid this difficult moment as the global community continues to confront COVID-19. We delivered significant sequential improvement in net sales growth in every product category driven by progress around the world.
“Asia Pacific again excelled with double-digit year-over-year growth in Mainland China. Travel retail was a stand-out performer as Chinese tourists were drawn to the growing duty free shops in Hainan Island and purchase limits increased there.”
He added: “We remain mindful of the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on consumers, the retail sector and economies as well as geopolitical uncertainty. We continue to expect our multiple engines of growth strategy to deliver sequentially improving sales growth each quarter in fiscal 2021, which we expect will build upon our estimated global prestige beauty share gains since the pandemic began. We are confident in the long-term growth opportunities for global prestige beauty and for the company, reflected in our announcement to raise our quarterly dividend by +10%.”
Freda concluded: “Today, we will release our fiscal 2020 Citizenship and Sustainability Report, entitled Beauty Inspired, Values Driven. The report highlights the achievement of our 2020 ESG goals as well as meaningful progress towards our 2025 goals. These milestones were reached across our citizenship and sustainability priority focus areas, despite the challenges of the pandemic.”
During the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, online sales growth remained strong in every region as the company and its retailers activated digital strategies to capture consumer demand online. As a result, it said, total net sales in Mainland China, Korea and several other markets delivered strong growth year-over-year, and the sales growth rate improved in nearly every market globally.
In the latest quarter, noted the company, demand for skincare and haircare products has been more resilient than the demand for makeup and overall fragrance. Within skincare, the demand for innovative products within hero franchises has remained strong, driving double-digit growth at Estée Lauder and La Mer during the first quarter of fiscal 2021. As stores reopened throughout the quarter, consumers have “reengaged with the sensorial experience in fragrance”, contributing to double-digit net sales growth at several luxury and artisanal fragrance brands, including Le Labo and Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle.
Performance by category
Skin Care
- Skin care net sales grew across most regions, led by Estée Lauder and La Mer.
- Net sales of Dr. Jart+, which the company acquired in December 2019, contributed approximately 6% to skin care net sales growth.
- Estée Lauder delivered strong double-digit growth, reflecting growth in many markets globally, led by double-digit growth in travel retail and in Mainland China as well as online. The net sales growth was driven by the launch of the new Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex as well as consumer demand for high loyalty hero franchises, including Perfectionist and Micro Essence.
- Double-digit growth from La Mer was driven by Asia Pacific, with significant strength in Mainland China, as well as growth in many markets globally. Net sales in travel retail also grew strong double-digit. La Mer’s growth was primarily driven by the launch of the new The Concentrate, one of its hero products. Targeted expanded consumer reach also contributed to growth.
- Skin care operating income increased, primarily from higher net sales at Estée Lauder and La Mer. Incremental cost containment in response to COVID-19 partially offset expenses and strategic investments that were made during the quarter.
Makeup
- Net sales declined in makeup with declines at all brands except Too Faced, which delivered a small increase. The effects of COVID-19 continued to disproportionately impact makeup, particularly foundation and lip, and makeup sales continued to be soft in most markets.
- Makeup operating income declined, primarily reflecting lower net sales, partially offset by disciplined expense management across all brands in response to COVID-19.
Fragrance
- Net sales decreased, primarily due to declines from Estée Lauder, Clinique, certain designer fragrances, Jo Malone London and Tom Ford due to the impacts of COVID-19. Certain luxury and artisanal fragrance brands grew during the quarter as retail stores opened and consumers were able to enjoy sensorial experiences in person. Targeted expanded consumer reach also contributed to growth at the artisanal fragrance brands.
- Strong double-digit net sales growth in Asia Pacific accelerated year-on-year driven by the company’s luxury and artisanal fragrance portfolio.
- Net sales from Le Labo rose double digits with growth in all regions. Net sales more than doubled in Asia Pacific and online. Targeted expanded consumer reach also contributed to growth.
- Growth from Kilian Paris and Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle were driven primarily by the launch of the brands in China and strong double-digit growth online.
- Fragrance operating income declined, driven primarily by lower net sales partially offset by disciplined expense management.
Hair Care
- Hair care net sales were flat, reflecting an increase at Aveda that was offset by a decline at Bumble and bumble driven by some temporary retail and salon closures during part of the quarter due to COVID-19.
- Aveda’s net sales growth was driven by successful innovation, including the launch of Botanical Repair in August as well as strong double-digit online growth, in part reflecting Aveda’s effort to support salon owners in developing online sales.
- Hair care operating results improved reflecting disciplined expense management in response to COVID-19.
Performance by region
Americas
- Most retail locations throughout the region re opened during the quarter although traffic continued to be soft, causing significant net sales declines in brick-and-mortar doors despite growth in July as retailers restocked stores upon opening. In response, the company and many retailers continued to migrate consumers online, which partially offset the brick-and-mortar declines.
- In North America, prestige beauty continued to be challenged by soft makeup sales, which impacted the company’s makeup category results.
- Online sales comprised more than 35% of total sales in The Americas, with strong double-digit growth.
- Operating income in The Americas decreased, reflecting lower net sales partially offset by disciplined expense management including cost mitigation strategies in response to COVID-19.
Europe, the Middle East & Africa
- Net sales declined in virtually every market, led by the Middle East, the UK and the Western European markets, due to lower retail traffic from COVID-19.
- Net sales online nearly doubled, reflecting the increased focus on reaching consumers digitally.
- Net sales from the company’s global travel retail business, which excludes travel retail sales from Dr. Jart+, were relatively flat year-over-year. “The adverse impacts from COVID-19 on international passenger traffic were mostly offset by strong growth in Hainan, partly reflecting increased duty free purchase limits, the opening of some travel corridors in Asia, and online pre-tail growth facilitating higher conversion. Net sales grew at several brands including Estée Lauder, La Mer and, to a lesser extent, Le Labo. The increases were due to the continued success of certain hero franchises.”
- Operating income increased, as disciplined expense management including cost mitigation strategies in response to COVID-19 more than offset lower net sales.
Asia/Pacific
- Net sales growth in Mainland China, Korea and several other markets offset declines in the rest of the region.
- The company continued to focus its investments on digital marketing, which drove strong double-digit online sales growth.
- In Mainland China, net sales grew double-digits led by skin care and fragrance, with the luxury brands outperforming. Net sales increased in nearly every channel and both brick-and-mortar and online grew.
- Net sales growth in Korea reflected incremental net sales from the company’s acquisition of Dr. Jart+ in December 2019, which includes the brand’s travel retail business, as well as high single-digit growth in the rest of the Korea business. Most categories, brands and channels grew during the quarter.
- Skincare and fragrance net sales grew double-digits in the region. Hair care net sales increased as well.
- Operating income decreased, reflecting strategic investments in social selling to drive online as well as investments behind launches of key hero innovations, which more than offset the higher net sales.
