THE WHAT? L’Occitane has reported its results for the first half of fiscal 2024. The French natural cosmetics company saw net sales surge 24.9 percent to tip its total over the €1 billion mark. Operating profit decreased by 11.8%.

THE DETAILS By brand, Sol de Janeiro was the star performer with sales up 188.8 percent at constant rates. Elemis, meanwhile, put on a solid 7.6 percent while a 22 percent rise in sales in China helped signature brand, L’Occitane en Provence deliver ‘decent’ growth.

THE WHY? André Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of L’Occitane, comments, “We are cautiously optimistic about our prospects in the second half of FY2024 as we head into the holiday and gifting seasons. Despite its near-term impact on our margins, our expanded marketing investments are already bearing fruit in boosting brand awareness and engagement, and remain vital in supporting our ability to outperform the overall premium beauty market in China and other key markets.” “Through our portfolio of strong and unique premium beauty brands and our commitment to investing for the long-term, we are well-positioned to continue driving sustainable growth and profitability for our shareholders and stakeholders.”