Group 1 - Japanese cosmetics companies are experiencing collective anxiety in the Chinese market, with Shiseido's executives acknowledging a decline in brand equity [2] - The Japanese beauty industry has been a significant player in China for over 40 years, but recent years have seen challenges due to the rise of local brands and external pressures from Western competitors [2][3] - In the first half of 2025, major Japanese beauty companies reported declines in their Chinese operations, with Shiseido's sales dropping by 10%, Kosé's by 7.3%, and POLA's net profit plummeting by 38% [2][3] Group 2 - The performance of Japanese beauty companies reflects a broader restructuring of the beauty industry, highlighting the need for multinational companies to adapt to the changing market dynamics in China [3] - Despite global profit growth, the persistent weakness in the Chinese market is a common challenge for these companies, indicating a significant shift in the competitive landscape [3][16] Group 3 - Shiseido's overall sales in the first half of 2025 were 469.83 billion yen (approximately 22.86 billion RMB), a decrease of 7.6%, while core operating profit increased by 21.3% to 23.37 billion yen (approximately 1.14 billion RMB) [7][10] - The Chinese and travel retail segment for Shiseido saw sales of 173.94 billion yen (approximately 8.46 billion RMB), down 12.4%, but it contributed nearly 80% of the group's core profit [10] Group 4 - Kao Corporation reported a global sales increase of 2.7% to 809 billion yen (approximately 39.3 billion RMB) in the first half of 2025, with operating profit rising by 19.9% to 69.5 billion yen (approximately 3.3 billion RMB) [10][13] - Kosé's sales were 160.5 billion yen (approximately 7.8 billion RMB), a slight increase of 0.9%, but operating profit fell by 17.7% to 11.3 billion yen (approximately 0.55 billion RMB) [15] Group 5 - POLA ORBIS Group's total revenue was 832.53 billion yen (approximately 38.3 billion RMB), a slight decrease of 0.7%, with net profit dropping by 38.1% to 4.64 billion yen (approximately 0.23 billion RMB) [16] - The performance of these companies illustrates a clear divide between global profitability and challenges in the Chinese market, with POLA facing additional difficulties due to delayed strategic adjustments [16] Group 6 - Japanese beauty companies are optimistic about the long-term potential of the Chinese market and are accelerating transformations to navigate current challenges [17] - Strategies include focusing on high-end products, channel innovation, and localization to better respond to the evolving consumer landscape in China [17][19]

Core Viewpoint - Japanese cosmetics companies are facing significant challenges in the Chinese market, with declining sales and profits, prompting a need for strategic transformation to regain market share and adapt to local consumer demands [2][3][14]. Group 1: Market Performance - Shiseido's sales in China fell by 10% in the first half of 2025, while Kose's business declined by 7.3%, and POLA's net profit dropped by 38% due to market weakness [3][10][13]. - The overall sales of Japanese cosmetics in China have been adversely affected by the rise of local brands and external factors such as the nuclear wastewater incident [3][4]. - In the first half of 2025, Shiseido's global sales were 469.83 billion yen (approximately 22.86 billion RMB), down 7.6% year-on-year, but core operating profit increased by 21.3% to 23.37 billion yen (approximately 1.14 billion RMB) [7][8]. Group 2: Strategic Adjustments - Japanese companies are focusing on high-end markets and localizing their operations to better meet consumer needs in China [16][22]. - Shiseido plans to integrate its China and travel retail operations into an independent profit center to enhance brand synergy and respond to the trend of high-end market penetration [16][32]. - Kose is implementing a strategy of channel optimization and brand restructuring, emphasizing high-end and mass-market segments while enhancing local R&D and marketing efforts [24][31]. Group 3: Future Outlook - Despite current challenges, Japanese companies remain optimistic about the long-term growth potential in the Chinese market and are accelerating their transformation efforts [16][32]. - The focus on high-quality growth rather than short-term sales boosts is evident in Shiseido's strategy, which includes significant investments in core brands and new product launches [18][32]. - The ability to adapt to local consumer preferences and integrate local insights into product development will be crucial for Japanese brands to maintain competitiveness in the evolving Chinese beauty market [27][32].

Core Insights - Shiseido Group is still in a "low period" with a sales decline of 7.6% year-on-year, reporting sales of 469.83 billion yen for the first half of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 [1] - The core operating profit increased by 21.3% to approximately 23.37 billion yen, indicating some operational efficiency despite the sales drop [1] Brand Performance - Among the eight brands, only three achieved sales growth, with the "Zui Xiang" brand experiencing a significant sales decline of 57% [2] - The three core brands (Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, and NARS) saw Shiseido's sales drop by 4%, while Clé de Peau Beauté and NARS grew by 3% and 2% respectively [2] - The future brands saw mixed results, with only the anti-aging brand "Irisir" achieving a 12% increase, while others like "Anessa," "Narciso Rodriguez," and "Issey Miyake" faced declines of 15%, 1%, and 9% respectively [2] Zui Xiang Brand Challenges - The Zui Xiang brand, acquired for $845 million in 2019, has faced a continuous decline, with a 25% drop in sales in 2024 and a staggering 65% decrease in the first quarter of 2025 [3] - The brand's sales fell by 57% in the first half of the year, leading to a 5.3% decrease in Shiseido's sales in the European market [3] - Zui Xiang has exited the Japanese market entirely, including online channels and six physical stores [3] Market Performance - Sales in all regional markets declined, with the smallest drop in Japan at 0.6%, totaling approximately 145.9 billion yen [4] - The Americas market saw a 10.1% decline to 51.5 billion yen, heavily impacted by Zui Xiang's poor performance [4] China and Travel Retail Business - The China and travel retail segment accounted for 37% of Shiseido's total sales, despite a 12.4% year-on-year decline to 173.9 billion yen [5] - Core operating profit in this segment fell by 15.65% to approximately 38.8 billion yen [5] - The company is restructuring its operations in China to enhance brand consistency and improve cost efficiency, with a focus on online sales where the main brand Shiseido is performing well [5] Future Outlook - Shiseido aims to minimize risks from sales declines through structural reforms and cost management, maintaining a target of 36.5 billion yen in core operating profit by 2025 [5] - The company plans to revitalize Zui Xiang through new product launches and expects to return to stable growth by 2026 [5] - Cost reductions of 13.5 billion yen have already been achieved in the first half of the year, with a target of 25 billion yen for the entire year [5]

中国是资生堂的重要市场。上半年，资生堂中国业务被官宣与旅游零售业务合并，中国区首席执行官也调任中国及旅游零售事业部首席执行官。但从财报来 看，上半年该板块销售额两位数下滑，尤其是旅游零售业务仍面临较大挑战。 《每日经济新闻》记者注意到，日前，已有欧莱雅、联合利华、宝洁、拜尔斯道夫等国际美妆企业披露了2025年上半年业绩。这些行业龙头公司，今年上半 年动作不断，涉及业务调整、人事变动等，就连宝洁集团也在新一季财报发布前夕宣布，2026年1月1日将更新总裁兼首席执行官。 美妆资深评论人、美云空间电商创始人白云虎对《每日经济新闻》记者分析称，无论是管理层变动，还是战略和经营调整，国际美妆巨头都是为了解决"问 题"，这种"应对"更多地可以理解为"被动应对"。一方面，传统和固有成功经验，面临着AI等数智化创新生产力的变革，逐渐失去效力；另一方面，国货企 业和品牌"崛起"，蚕食了国际美妆巨头数十年的市场份额，使其渐渐失去竞争力。 8月6日，日妆巨头资生堂集团披露2025年上半年业绩。上半年，资生堂集团净销售额为4698.31亿日元，同比下跌7.6%；核心营业利润为233.72亿日元，同 比增长21.3%。 国际美妆巨头聚 ...

Core Insights - Shiseido Group faces significant challenges, with a notable decline in performance across all regions, particularly in China and travel retail markets, which experienced double-digit drops compared to the previous year [1][2][5] Financial Performance - For the first half of 2025, Shiseido Group reported net sales of 469.83 billion yen (approximately 22.846 billion RMB), a year-on-year decrease of 7.6% [1][2] - Core operating profit increased by 21.3% to 23.372 billion yen (approximately 1.137 billion RMB), while operating profit recovered from a loss of 2.728 billion yen (approximately 133 million RMB) to 18.084 billion yen (approximately 880 million RMB) [1][2] - The decline in net sales is attributed mainly to weak performance in the Chinese and travel retail markets, as well as the impact of the Drunk Elephant brand [2][5] Market Performance - The overall net sales decline of 8% in the first half of 2025 marks the first drop for Shiseido in three years [2][5] - The Japanese market saw the smallest decline at -0.6%, while the Chinese and travel retail markets experienced the largest drop at -12.4% [2][5] - In the second quarter, all markets except for the Americas and travel retail showed low single-digit growth, with travel retail down approximately 20% [2][5] Brand Performance - The Drunk Elephant brand significantly impacted overall performance, with a 43% year-on-year decline in Q2 and a 57% drop in the first half of 2025 [10][12] - Despite challenges, the Shiseido and NARS brands showed growth when excluding the impact of the Chinese and travel retail markets, with Shiseido brand sales increasing by 4% [12][19] - The Next 5 brands, particularly ELIXIR, demonstrated double-digit growth in the second quarter and the first half of 2025 [10][12] Regional Insights - Shiseido's performance in the Chinese market is affected by economic downturns leading to low consumer spending, with offline channels continuing to decline [16][19] - The Americas market is facing challenges, particularly for the Drunk Elephant brand, while other brands like Shiseido and NARS have seen some growth [23][31] - The company has announced significant layoffs in the Americas region as part of restructuring efforts [26][31]

Core Insights - Shiseido Group's Q1 2025 financial results indicate a significant decline in net sales and core operating profit, reflecting ongoing challenges across all regional markets [1][3][7] Financial Performance - The net sales for Q1 2025 were 228.24 billion yen (approximately 11.10 billion RMB), a decrease of 8.5% year-on-year, marking the lowest in four years [3][7] - Core operating profit fell to 8.25 billion yen (approximately 0.40 billion RMB), down 27.2% compared to the previous year [3][7] - The company reported a turnaround in operating profit, achieving 7.20 billion yen (approximately 0.35 billion RMB) compared to a loss of 8.75 billion yen (approximately -0.43 billion RMB) in the same quarter last year [2][3] Regional Market Performance - All regional markets experienced declines, with the Chinese and travel retail sectors down by 12.1% year-on-year [5][21] - The Americas market saw a significant drop of 14.5%, primarily due to the poor performance of the brand Drunk Elephant, which plummeted by 65% [10][13] - In Europe, the decline was less severe at 9.2%, aided by growth in the brands SK-II and NARS [13][21] Brand Performance - Among the Core 3 brands, Shiseido and NARS saw net sales decrease by 7% and 2% respectively, while SK-II was the only brand to show growth at 2% [10][19] - The Next 5 brands had mixed results, with only Elixir showing an increase of 11%, while others experienced declines [10][19] Strategic Adjustments - Shiseido announced a two-year mid-term plan, "Action Plan 2025-2026," focusing on restructuring and enhancing brand performance [24][25] - The company is undergoing leadership changes, particularly in the Americas and travel retail sectors, to address declining sales [24][25] - The merger of travel retail and China business units aims to create a more flexible and consumer-centric business model [24][25]