Yesterday, DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s leading omnichannel premium beauty retailer, posted solid third-quarter results for fiscal 2024/25, returning to growth after a soft second quarter. Group sales rose 3.2% year-on-year to €1.0 billion, or 4.0% excluding the divested online pharmacy Disapo, marking the company’s first Q3 to reach the €1 billion milestone. Store sales increased 2.1% (like-for-like: -0.7%), while e-commerce surged 8.2% excluding Disapo, regaining momentum across most regions.
Performance varied by geography, Central Eastern Europe led with a 10.5% sales increase, while DACHNL grew 3.2% and Southern Europe 1.4%. France, via the NOCIBÉ brand, saw a slight 0.9% decline amid subdued consumer sentiment but maintained market share gains in both physical retail and online. Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty posted robust 19.2% growth.
Sales developed positively across all segments with the exception of France, which continues to suffer from subdued consumer sentiment. Central Eastern Europe – the fastest growing region – continued its strong sales trajectory with +10.5%.
Parfumdreams / Niche Beauty sales increased by 19.2%, mainly due to a more effective commercial approach of Parfumdreams as well as ongoing strong development at Niche Beauty – driven by a constantly improved assortment. The prior-year quarter was further affected by temporary supply chain disruptions in the course of the integration of PD logistics into the omnichannel warehouse in Hamm, Germany. The DACHNL segment showed solid growth of 3.2%, with sales mainly driven by E-Com, store openings and refurbishments. Southern Europe grew sales by 1.4% and in France, NOCIBÉ reported a slight sales decline of -0.9%, but continued to gain market share in both stores and E-Com.
Group store sales rose by 2.1%, mainly driven by the expansion of the store network (lfl: -0.7%). Store sales in DACHNL grew by 1.3%, while Central Eastern Europe (+7.7%) and Southern Europe (+2.5%) accelerated their positive development. NOCIBÉ store sales went down by 1.6%. Store footfall was up in every segment except for France – leading to an overall increase of 5.7%, highlighting the relevance and attractiveness of the DOUGLAS brand in city centers and in shopping malls.
The E-Com business regained momentum: Sales growth outpaced stores in every segment except for Southern Europe, growing by 5.4% (excluding Disapo: +8.2%). E-Com sales in Central Eastern Europe continued to develop strongly and improved double-digit (+20.9%).
Over the first nine months, group sales advanced 2.9% to €3.6 billion (3.8% excluding Disapo), with reported EBITDA up 8.5% to €626.7 million. The company continued executing its “Let it Bloom” strategy, opening 22 new stores and refurbishing 39 in Q3, while expanding cross-channel services such as Click & Collect Express and enhancing supply chain capabilities with a new omnichannel warehouse in Poland.
CEO Sander van der Laan reaffirmed full-year guidance, now expecting sales slightly above €4.5 billion, an adjusted EBITDA margin around 17%, net income near €175 million, and net working capital below 5% of sales.
