Core Insights - L'Oréal Group reported a sales revenue of €22.473 billion (approximately ¥186.19 billion) for the first half of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 3% [1] - The operating profit reached €4.74 billion (approximately ¥39.28 billion), with a year-on-year increase of 3.1% [1] Performance Trends - The growth rate of L'Oréal's performance has slowed down in recent years, with a full-year sales revenue of €43.487 billion (approximately ¥329.43 billion) for 2024, marking a 5.6% increase year-on-year [2] - For the first half of 2024, sales revenue was €22.12 billion, showing a year-on-year growth of 7.5%, while operating profit increased by 8% to €4.599 billion [2] - The company's four major divisions experienced growth in the first half of the year, but with significant variations in growth rates [2] Division Performance - The Professional Products division emerged as a growth engine with a year-on-year increase of 6.5%, achieving sales of €2.55 billion (approximately ¥21.16 billion) [2] - The Consumer Products division reported sales of €8.41 billion (approximately ¥69.78 billion), with a growth of 2.8% [4] - The Luxe division saw a decline of 1.9%, while the Dermatological Beauty division grew by 3.5% [4] Regional Performance - The European market recorded sales of €7.534 billion (approximately ¥62.42 billion), with a year-on-year growth of 3.4% [6] - North America experienced a 2% increase in sales, while Latin America and SAPMENA-SSA achieved double-digit growth rates of 10.3% and 10.4%, respectively [6] - North Asia was the only region to experience negative growth, with a sales decline of 1.1% to €5.393 billion (approximately ¥44.48 billion) [6] Strategic Developments - L'Oréal's CEO highlighted the effectiveness of the company's multi-polar strategy, with emerging markets and a slight rebound in mainland China offsetting the expected slowdown in Europe [7] - The company acquired majority stakes in the American haircare brand Color Wow and the British skincare brand Medik8 to strengthen its position in the dermatological and professional haircare sectors [5] Future Outlook - The CEO expressed optimism for the global beauty market, anticipating continued growth in the upcoming quarters [8]

Core Viewpoint - L'Oréal's second-quarter financial results disappointed investors, with a sales decline and lower-than-expected comparable sales growth, despite exceeding profit expectations [1][2]. Financial Performance - Second-quarter sales decreased by 1.3% year-on-year to €10.74 billion, with comparable sales growth at 2.4%, below the analyst expectation of 2.9% [2]. - For the first half of 2025, net profit (excluding non-recurring items) was €3.78 billion, a 1% year-on-year increase, and operating profit margin improved by 30 basis points [2]. Core Business Analysis - The professional products division led growth with a 6.5% increase, while the high-end cosmetics division grew only 2%, lagging behind the mass market (2.8%) and active health cosmetics (3.1%) [2]. - The fragrance category stood out with double-digit growth, significantly exceeding the market average of 7% [8]. Regional Performance - North Asia, particularly China and South Korea, along with travel retail channels, were major contributors to the sales decline, with North Asia's sales down 1.1% year-on-year [2][5]. - Emerging markets showed strong growth, with South Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa achieving 10.4% growth, and Latin America at 10.3% [6]. Tariff Concerns - The European Union's decision to impose a 15% tariff on cosmetics imported from the U.S. poses a significant risk, as approximately 30% of L'Oréal's U.S. sales depend on imports [2][6]. - The CEO expressed serious concerns and plans to lobby for exemptions, while also considering potential price increases or shifting production to U.S. factories [7][6]. Growth Strategy - Despite the challenges, the company remains optimistic about the second half of the year, planning to launch new products like Prada men's perfume and Miu Miu perfume as part of a "beauty stimulus plan" [8].