Clichy, Wednesday 24 January, 2001 (5:45 p.m.)
Strategic acquisitions
2000: A year of exceptional growth. Annual sales: +17.9%
The consolidated sales of L'OREAL amounted, in 2000, to € 12.7 billion (FF 83.1 billion). The growth rate based on published figures was 17.9% compared with 1999.
After allowing for the 7.4% positive effect of exchange rate fluctuations, the growth rate was 10.5%.
L'OREAL benefited from a positive structural impact of 2.1% due to the consolidation of acquisitions carried out in 2000, mainly in the second half of the year.
Group sales growth by business sector was as follows:
Group sales growth by sectorAfter allowing for the 7.4% positive effect of exchange rate fluctuations, the growth rate was 10.5%.
L'OREAL benefited from a positive structural impact of 2.1% due to the consolidation of acquisitions carried out in 2000, mainly in the second half of the year.
Group sales growth by business sector was as follows:
| published figures | excl. exchange rate fluctuations | |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics | + 17.5 % | + 10.3 % |
| Dermatology |
+ 32.2 % | + 19.1 % |
Growth in cosmetics sales has been strong in the main geographical areas.
Cosmetics sector growth by area| published figures | excl. exchange rate fluctuations | |
|---|---|---|
| Western Europe | + 6.0 % | + 5.2 % |
| North America | + 31.4 % | + 14.1 % |
| Rest of the World
|
+ 33.4 % | + 19.3 % |
These strategic acquisitions included Carson Inc., world leader in ethnic cosmetics with a strong presence in the United States and South Africa, Matrix Essentials, the North American leader in salon products, and Kiehl's, a highly selective and world-renowned skin care brand, founded in New York in 1851.
These strategic acquisitions, backed up by local acquisitions such as Laboratoires Ylang S.A., the leader in mass-market make-up in Argentina, and Respons, a Scandinavian shampoo brand, offer the group outstanding growth potential.
At the end of 2000, L'OREAL also signed a strategic alliance with Shu Uemura, a pioneering Japanese brand in the art of make-up and skin care, which will be consolidated in 2001.
Provisional results will be published on Wednesday 21 February, 2001, and the audited results on Wednesday 28 March, 2001.
These strategic acquisitions, backed up by local acquisitions such as Laboratoires Ylang S.A., the leader in mass-market make-up in Argentina, and Respons, a Scandinavian shampoo brand, offer the group outstanding growth potential.
At the end of 2000, L'OREAL also signed a strategic alliance with Shu Uemura, a pioneering Japanese brand in the art of make-up and skin care, which will be consolidated in 2001.
Provisional results will be published on Wednesday 21 February, 2001, and the audited results on Wednesday 28 March, 2001.
