Still, there's more going for Hermès than not. The company's fundamentals are surprisingly strong, even considering that Chinese consumers have turned shy when it comes to luxury. Double-digit revenue growth, rising profits and robust margins all work in its favour. Additionally, HESAY's reduced P/E from last year indicates that there can be further upside to it moving forward. At the same time, the luxury market slowdown can't be taken lightly, especially when it has shown up starkly in some of its segment ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics - Revenue for H1 2024 exceeded €7.5 billion, up 15% at constant exchange rates, driven by strong customer loyalty and new customer acquisition [50][64] - Gross margin rate for H1 2024 was 70.6%, down from 72.2% in H1 2023, primarily due to currency hedges and lower sell-through rates [51] - Net income group share reached nearly €2.4 billion, a 6% increase compared to H1 2023, with net profitability nearing 32% [54] - Operating cash flow grew 8% year-on-year, reaching €2.8 billion, while operating investments are expected to accelerate in H2 to reach €1 billion [70] Business Line Data and Key Metrics - Leather goods and saddlery saw remarkable growth, driven by increased production capacity and sustained demand [47] - Ready-to-wear and accessories grew by 15%, supported by successful collections and footwear [47] - Perfume and beauty sector rose, supported by new launches like Oud Alezan and H24 Herbes Vives, while watches remained stable [48] - Other Hermès products, including jewelry and homeware, grew by 19% [48] Market Data and Key Metrics - All regions recorded double-digit growth, with France up 15%, Europe (excluding France) up 18%, Japan up 22%, and Asia (excluding Japan) up 10% [65][66] - The US market showed strong dynamics, with 13% growth in both Q1 and Q2, driven by a "flight to quality" sentiment among clients [24][25] - China experienced a drop in footfall, particularly among aspirational clients, due to economic factors like the real estate market [96] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company continues to invest in production capacity, with new leather workshops and upstream capacities for silk, metal hardware, and perfumes [55] - Hermès is expanding its distribution network with new stores in the US, Asia, and France, following a multi-local approach [43] - The company remains committed to sustainability, with investments in reducing CO2 emissions and biodiversity initiatives [61][62] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted the resilience of the brand in a complex global economic and political environment, with strong momentum across all regions [40][64] - The company expects H2 2024 to remain uncertain but plans to continue creating jobs and investing in all divisions, including new store openings and product launches [72] - Inflation in cost of goods, particularly materials and salaries, is expected to impact pricing strategies for 2025 [29][30] Other Important Information - The company has 23,200 employees, with 62% based in France, and continues to invest in diversity and inclusion initiatives [37] - Hermès paid a €4,000 bonus to all employees in February 2024 and distributed shares under the Free Action Plan [44] - The company’s Moody ESG rating increased, reflecting its commitment to transparency and sustainability [63] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of currency hedges on H1 and H2 - The impact of currency hedges was around €60 million in H1 and is expected to be €160 million in H2 due to inventory sell-off [8] Question: Pricing strategy for 2025 - Pricing will be influenced by inflation in cost of goods, including materials and salaries, with a focus on maintaining coherence with historical strategies [28][29] Question: US market dynamics - The US market showed strong growth, with regional variations between the West Coast, East Coast, and Central regions like Texas and Florida [24] Question: Impact of Olympics on business - The Olympics are expected to disrupt business in France, similar to past events in London and Beijing, but the company has budgeted for this impact [27] Question: Gross margin pressure in H2 - Gross margin pressure is expected to continue in H2 due to currency effects and lower sell-through rates, particularly in Greater China [101][109] Question: Consumer behavior in China - Chinese consumers are becoming more sophisticated, focusing on high-quality products rather than logos, but footfall has dropped due to economic factors [96][97] Question: Impact of Japanese yen depreciation - The company increased prices in Japan at the beginning of 2024 and expects the yen to appreciate in 2025, which will influence future pricing strategies [101][102]

ToplineHermès—the coveted Birkin and Kelly bag maker—reported a 17% jump in first-quarter sales Thursday on the back of strong leather goods sales and Chinese demand, bucking the global luxury slowdown.The French luxury house posted strong quarterly sales growth across all geographic areas, including ... [+] China.© 2024 Bloomberg Finance LP Key FactsFirst-quarter revenue rose 17% from the previous year to $4.1 billion (€3.8 billion), with all geographical areas posting double-digit growth, topping FactSet’ ...

Robert Way Investment action Based on my current outlook and analysis of Hermes International (OTCPK:HESAY) (RMS), I recommend a buy rating. I expect a strong 1Q24 and FY24 performance as high-end consumer demand continues to be very strong, so strong that RMS is able to push through another round of 8–9% pricing growth (a step up from the mid-single-digit price increase indicated in the 3Q23 earnings call). Notably, demand momentum was seen in all regions, particularly with relative share gains against ...

Hermès has been sued over claims it unlawfully allows only customers with "sufficient purchase history" with the company to buy its famous Birkin bags. Two residents in California allege Hermès is violating antitrust laws by "tying" the sale of one item to the purchase of another, according to the proposed federal class-action lawsuit filed on Tuesday in San Francisco. The company's sales associates are driving the scheme by pushing customers to buy shoes, scarves, jewellery and other items to gain an oppor ...

Cindy Ord/Getty Images Entertainment The reader may be wondering, what could Hermes (OTCPK:HESAY) possibly have to do with artificial intelligence? After all, luxury goods companies appear to be some of the least impacted by AI. Their businesses rely heavily on brick-and-mortar stores and incorporate little to no software aside from the occasional website. In Hermes' case, AI plays even less of a direct role on day-to-day operations as the company does not automate its manufacturing process with machine ...

DNY59 Opener To be clear, I don't know when the market will crash, and here's a little secret: nobody else knows either. Not the press with bold headlines, not the Twitter guy with 100k followers, and certainly not the permabears who predict crashes every Wednesday. What I'm 100% sure of is that I'll buy the stocks in this article like crazy. I always keep some cash aside to buy those super high-quality rare companies, which usually trade at an expensive to fair price. I'm not a dividend investor; howev ...

Hermès’s discipline in good times might make it more resilient in downturns. Photo: Edward Berthelot/Getty ImagesHermès is a brand that shows its real mettle in a downturn. The secret to its steady growth might be the restraint it shows in good times.  The French handbag maker’s shares gained 33% in 2023, making it the luxury sector’s best-performing stock. Parisian rival LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton , which owns Christian Dior and is also considered one of the safest bets in luxury, rose 8%. But across ...

Falf Res 28 July 2023 A R E S P O N S I B L E C R A F T S M A N S H I P B U S I N E S S M O D E L C R E A T I V I T Y A N D S A V O I R - F A I R E Creativity of the 16 métiers around the theme of the year, Astonishment Promotion and exploration of savoir-faire Q U A L I T Y A N D D U R A B I L I T Y Responsible sourcing More than 80 exceptional raw materials J O B C R E A T I O N A N D R E S P O N S A B I L I T Y Workforce 2x in 10 years 62% in France Value-sharing I N T E G R A T I O N A N D E X C L U S I ...

Hermès International Société en commandite par actions (OTCPK:HESAY) Q2 2023 Earnings Conference Call July 28, 2023 8:00 AM ET Company Participants Axel Dumas - Chief Executive Officer Eric du Halgouët - Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Charles-Louis Scotti - Kepler Chevreux Thomas Chauvet - Citi Edouard Aubin - Morgan Stanley Antoine Bregeaut - BNP Paribas Zuzanna Pusz - UBS Anne-Laure Bismuth - HSBC Operator [Interpreted] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the presentation of the 2023 Fi ...