L'Oreal Posts 4.2% Sales Growth Driven by U.S. China Market Recovery

French cosmetics giant L'Oréal reported third-quarter sales of 10.33 billion euros, marking a 4.2% increase on a like-for-like basis and showing an acceleration from the previous quarter's growth. The company's consumer products division grew by 3.8%, while the premium Luxe division increased sales by 2.5%. Growth was broad-based, with significant improvements in key markets such as the U.S. and North Asia, including China, where sales turned positive for the first time in two years with a 4.7% rise driven by high-end product demand. Despite this progress, L'Oréal's overall sales growth missed some analysts' forecasts and was below the estimated global beauty market growth of around 5%. CEO Nicolas Hieronimus expressed confidence that L'Oréal would continue to outperform the global beauty market, emphasizing ongoing innovation and strategic acquisitions, such as the recent deals involving Kering's beauty business and premium skincare brands Medik8 and ColorWow. However, sales growth in North America was slower than expected, reflecting challenges amid tariffs and competition.