Sales are for the 2004 calendar year or the closest fiscal year at the magazine’s printing date in August. Beauty volume is made up of fragrance, makeup, skin care, sun care, hair care, deodorant, plus cellulite and shaving items. It does not include bar soap, razors, toothpaste, foods and diet foods, medicine, vitamins or detergents. To be included in this ranking, a company must sell its products in at least two of four major markets: Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
subsidiaries/main brands } recent history Consumer/L’Oreal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, Mininurse,
La Scad, SoftSheen Carson, Yue-Sai. Professional/L’Oreal Professionnel, Kerastase, Inne, Redken, Matrix, Mizani. Luxury/Lancome, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, Kiehl’s, Shu Uemura, Parfums Giorgio Armani, Parfums Cacharel, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Paloma Picasso, Parfums Guy Laroche. Active/Vichy, LarochePosay. Inneov, Galderma, Le Club des Createurs de Beaute (50%). This February, Lindsay Owen-Jones announced Jean-Paul Agon will succeed him as ceo of L’Oreal. Agon is to work at Owen-Jones’ side until April 2006, when Owen-Jones will become non-executive chairman of the firm.
Positive performances worldwide boosted L’Oreal’s second-quarter sales 5. 4% year-on-year to e3. 62 billion. Its business gained 1% in Western Europe, 4. 8% in North America, 7. 8% in Asia, 19. 6% in Latin America, 35. 5% in Eastern Europe and 14. 1% in “other countries. ” For the first half of 2005, L’Oreal generated sales of e7. 16 billion, an increase of 3. 5% over the same period in 2004. Last year, the company’s smallest division, active cosmetics, was the market leader for skin care products in pharmacies, the company said. The branch’s global sales grew 13. 8% to e852 million.
The consumer products division’s sales were boosted 3. 3% to e7. 75 billion. Luxury products’ revenues grew 2. 3% to e3. 52 billion. Professional products’ turnover rose 5. 2% to e2 billion. This May, L’Oreal announced its acquisition of U. S. professional skin care brand SkinCeuticals, of Dallas, with sales of $35 million. Signe Gammeltoft was named president of Ralph Lauren Fragrances in June. In April, L’Oreal Paris signed actress Eva Longoria as a worldwide spokeswoman. In spring, L’Oreal Paris extended its first mass men’s skin care line Men’s Expert to new markets. Pantene, Olay, Head & Shoulders, Clairol, Herbal