Core Insights - The high-end skincare brand La Prairie continues to face declining sales in the first three quarters of the year, with a reported organic decline of 7.2% to €348 million [2][3] - Beiersdorf's overall sales for the first three quarters reached approximately €7.5 billion, with an organic growth of 2%, a slowdown compared to the previous year's 6.5% [1][2] - The CEO of Beiersdorf, Vincent Warnery, indicated that the consumer goods segment is expected to achieve an organic growth of about 2.5% for the full year [1][6] Sales Performance - Beiersdorf's consumer goods segment generated sales of €6.3 billion in the first three quarters, with an organic growth of 2% [1] - The NIVEA brand, as a core brand, experienced only 0.6% organic growth in the first three quarters, with a decline of 0.4% in the third quarter [2] - La Prairie's sales have been under pressure, with a significant decline in the first quarter of 17.5% due to challenges in the travel retail sector [3] Brand Performance - The Derma brand, which includes Eucerin, showed strong performance with an organic growth of 12.3% to €1.145 billion in the first three quarters [2][3] - The medical health brands, including Hansaplast and Elastoplast, achieved an organic growth of 8.8%, driven primarily by wound care products [3] - NIVEA is undergoing strategic adjustments in the Chinese market, shifting from mass-market to high-end skincare, which has started to yield positive results [5] Market Dynamics - Beiersdorf's consumer goods business saw organic growth across major markets, with Europe being the largest market, growing by 1.2% to €2.809 billion [4] - The Americas market recorded sales of approximately €1.693 billion, with an organic growth of 2.2% [4] - The Asia/Africa/Australia market had the highest growth rate, with an organic increase of 2.9% to €1.749 billion [4] Future Outlook - Beiersdorf has adjusted its full-year sales growth forecast for the consumer goods segment to approximately 2.5%, down from the previous expectation of 3%-4% [6] - The company anticipates a slight increase in the EBIT margin for ongoing operations, expected to be slightly above the previous year's level of 13.9% [6]

Group 1 - L'Oréal China held a strategic communication meeting in Shanghai, highlighting its focus on long-term investment and local supply chain development [2] - In 2024, Shanghai is set to recognize 60 new multinational company regional headquarters and 30 foreign R&D centers, with nearly 6,000 new foreign enterprises established and actual foreign investment exceeding $17.6 billion [2] - The local government has introduced 14 measures to enhance the investment environment, focusing on improving foreign investment services and legal frameworks [2] Group 2 - BASF announced a 500 million RMB investment to expand its Cellasto factory in Shanghai, aimed at supporting the electric vehicle market, with a projected capacity increase of nearly 70% by 2027 [3] - Bayer's investment of $31.42 million in Nivea (Shanghai) is directed towards local formula development, smart production line upgrades, and precise marketing strategies [4] - Otis is expanding its global R&D center in Shanghai, focusing on elevator equipment and digital technology innovations, emphasizing a "for China, in China" strategy [4] Group 3 - Multinational companies are increasingly localizing their supply chains, with Mahle reporting a 90% localization rate in China and plans to increase it by an additional 5% [5] - L'Oréal plans to enhance investments in R&D, supply chain optimization, and talent development in China, with new operational centers being established [5] Group 4 - The Chinese market is viewed as a source of "certainty" amidst global uncertainties, with its position as the second-largest consumer goods market driving growth potential [6] - The elevator market in China is experiencing significant growth, with a current ownership of 10 million units, and a focus on modernization and digitalization to meet urban renewal needs [7] - Companies are leveraging Shanghai's favorable policies and services to launch innovative products, with several brands choosing Shanghai as their global launch site [8]