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☆ How Hermès became the ultimate status symbol
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A cashmere throw blanket splashed with the letter H. For years, Hermès' iconic products have been coveted by those in the know. Now, its shares are also hot commodities, with their performance outpacing bigger luxury brands like Louis Vuitton owner LVMH and Gucci-maker Kering. "Brand equity is much more diluted than Hermès'," Herzog said of brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Hermès is 'fairly recession-proof'Keeping it simple has helped Hermès hold its own as luxury brands start to lose their shine after a multiyear spending boom. It also announced it will expand the Saint Junien facility in New Aquitaine (also France) which makes Kelly and Birkin bags.

Persons: Hermès, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Kering's, hasn't, it's, Axel Dumas, Simeon Siegel, Siegel, Birkin, —, waitlists, Edward Berthelot, there's, Hitha Herzog, Nicole Pollard Bayme, Kelly, Versace, Herzog, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bernstein, Luca Solca, Chanel, Solca, Winston Chesterfield, Barton, That's, Williamsburg , Brooklyn —, Axel, Pierre, Alexis Dumas —, Bernard Arnault's LVMH, Dumas, Barton's Chesterfield, They've, Cousins Axel Dumas, Alexis Dumas, Rodrigo Vaz, Thierry Hermès, they've, We're Organizations: BMO Capital Markets, Capri Holdings, North, Gucci Locations: Hermès, London, China, France, Louviers, Ardennes, New Aquitaine, Aspen , Colorado, Naples, Florida, Nanjing, Princeton , New Jersey, Williamsburg , Brooklyn

☆ How Hermes Became the Ultimate Status Symbol
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Now, its shares are also hot commodities, with their performance outpacing bigger luxury brands like Louis Vuitton owner LVMH and Gucci-maker Kering. "The curse of retail is everyone chases more," Simeon Siegel, a senior retail analyst at BMO Capital Markets, told Business Insider about luxury brands. "Brand equity is much more diluted than Hermès'," Herzog said of brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Hermès is 'fairly recession-proof'Keeping it simple has helped Hermès hold its own as luxury brands start to lose their shine after a multiyear spending boom. It also announced it will expand the Saint Junien facility in New Aquitaine (also France) which makes Kelly and Birkin bags.

☆ Hermes sales beat expectations, defying luxury sector gloom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A Hermes store sign is seen at a shopping mall in San Diego, California, U.S., November 23, 2022. "Despite an uncertain context, our outlook remains unchanged," Eric du Halgouet, Hermes executive vice president finance, told journalists, noting strong growth in the U.S. and Asia, including China. Sales in the Americas rose 20%, despite smaller price hikes than in other parts of the world, with even growth rates on both U.S. coasts, Hermes said. In Europe, sales grew 18.1%, with Du Halgouet noting no sign of a slowdown in tourist traffic in the region, and no slowdown in France, including in the first weeks of October. "We are attentive," said Du Halgouet, noting an uncertain geopolitical context could affect tourism.

Persons: Mike Blake, Birkin, bellwether, Hermes, Eric du Halgouet, Du Halgouet, Bernstein, Luca Solca, Mimosa Spencer, Ingrid Melander, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Analysts, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Asia, China, Americas, Madison, New York, Europe, France, Japan

☆ LVMH sales growth loses fizz as post-pandemic splurge wanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People walk past the Louis Vuitton store at Miami Design District, in Miami, Florida, U.S. November 30, 2021. REUTERS/Marco Bello Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Luxury goods bellwether LVMH (LVMH.PA) reported a 9% rise in third quarter revenue on Tuesday, marking slower growth as a strong wave of post-pandemic spending eases due to rising inflation and economic turbulence. “After three roaring years, and outstanding years, growth is converging toward numbers that are more in line with historical average", LVMH chief financial officer Jean-Jacques Guiony told analysts. The fashion and leather goods division, home to Louis Vuitton and Dior, recorded sales growth of 9%, compared to analysts' expectations for 10% growth. LVMH is the first major global luxury firm to report earnings this quarter and gives investors an insight into what to expect from rivals.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Marco Bello, Jean, Jacques Guiony, Tiffany, Bulgari, Hennessy, Luca Solca, Bernstein, Guiony, Mimosa Spencer, Ingrid Melander, Josie Kao Organizations: Miami Design District, REUTERS, Rights, Dior, Champagne, drugmaker Novo Nordisk, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Miami , Florida, U.S, United States, Europe, China

☆ LVMH Q3 revenue rises 9%, slowing from post-pandemic frenzy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People walk past the Louis Vuitton store at Miami Design District, in Miami, Florida, U.S. November 30, 2021. REUTERS/Marco Bello Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Luxury goods bellwether LVMH (LVMH.PA) reported a 9% rise in third quarter revenue on Tuesday, marking slower growth as strong wave of post-pandemic spending eases up amid a backdrop of rising inflation and economic turbulence. LVMH, which owns labels including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany and Bulgari, said that revenue came to 19.96 billion euros ($21.16 billion), up 9% year-on-year, stripping out the effect of currency fluctuations and acquisitions. The fashion and leather goods division, home to Louis Vuitton and Dior, recorded sales growth of 9%, compared to analysts' expectations for 10% growth. LVMH is facing slowing demand for high end goods in the United States and Europe, where rising prices have prompted shoppers — especially younger generations — to pull back from a post-pandemic spending euphoria, while the recovery in China has been uneven.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Marco Bello, Tiffany, Bulgari, Hennessy, LVMH, Luca Solca, Bernstein, Mimosa Spencer, Ingrid Melander, Josie Kao Organizations: Miami Design District, REUTERS, Rights, Dior, Champagne, drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Thomson Locations: Miami , Florida, U.S, United States, Europe, China

MILAN/PARIS, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Gucci creative director Sabato De Sarno takes to the runway in Milan on Friday, in a high-stakes designer debut for the Italian label’s owner, French luxury group Kering (PRTP.PA). De Sarno’s Gucci catwalk presentation – one of the industry’s most highly-anticipated shows this year – will serve as an aesthetic reset for the brand, aimed at reigniting sales, but it is also the first major test of a sweeping overhaul at Kering. The group has also taken steps to broaden its revenue sources, announcing plans to buy high end perfumer Creed in June and a 30% stake in fashion label Valentino in July. “We don’t think that a margin reset would be badly received by the market,” said Carole Madjo, analyst with Barclays. Reporting by Mimosa Spencer and Elisa Anzolin Editing by Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Gucci, Sabato De Sarno, De Sarno’s Gucci, Valentino, Louis, Jean, Francois Palus, Marco Bizzarri, De Sarno’s, Bizzarri, Alessandro Michele, De Sarno's, Sabato De Sarno's, ”, Carole Madjo, Daria Werbowy, Luca Solca, Bernstein, Mimosa Spencer, Elisa Anzolin, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: MILAN, Louis Vuitton, Dior . Group, Gucci, RBC, Barclays, De, Thomson Locations: PARIS, Milan, Kering

☆ LVMH shares fall as second-quarter sales fail to impress
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) - Shares in LVMH (LVMH.PA) fell sharply on Wednesday as analysts said that an in-line increase in sales at the world's top luxury indicated the overall sector was moving towards a less impressive path of growth. LVMH shares were down 3.7% in early session trading, also dragging down the shares of its rival Kering (PRTP.PA). The 17% increase at constant exchange rates was a touch better than analyst expectations for 16% growth. LVMH's leather goods division, home to Vuitton and Dior, grew revenues by 21%, also just above the expected 20% increase. LVMH also reported a 1% fall in U.S. sales as appetite for high-end fashion and leather goods slowed there, particularly among less wealthy shoppers, and lower-than-expected margins due to high marketing spending.

Persons: JP Morgan, LVMH, Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Tiffany, Luca Solca, Bernstein, Sudip Kar, Silvia Aloisi Organizations: JP, Dior, Vuitton, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ There's a real-life 'Succession' drama playing out among the children of Bernard Arnault, the world's richest person and head of luxury behemoth LVMH
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But there's a similar legacy battle going on inside LVMH, the French luxury house run by Bernard Arnault. The children of the world's richest man are vying for influence within LVMH in a "Darwinian" fight. Showrunner Jesse Armstrong says his fictional Roy family is inspired by several famous dynasties, such as the Hearsts — the family behind Hearst Communications — and the Redstones — the controlling influence behind Paramount Global. There's still plenty of rivalry between the progeny of Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods behemoth LVMH and world's richest person. The Roy family of "Succession."

☆ Birkin bag maker Hermes sees no U.S. slowdown as sales jump 23%
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A craftswoman works on a Birkin bag at the luxury goods Hermes factory in Seloncourt October 4, 2013. REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, April 13 (Reuters) - Sales at Birkin bag maker Hermes (HRMS.PA) rose 23% in the first quarter, above market expectations, as wealthy shoppers in China and Europe splurged on luxury fashion and accessories despite higher prices and global market turmoil. The increase of 23%, at constant exchange rates, beat a Visible Alpha consensus for 15% growth. Hermes raised prices by around 7% at the start of the year, a higher rate than its usual 2-3% annual increase. In China, where Hermes was less affected than competitors by lockdowns that dented sales for many at the end of last year, revenues grew by 23% in the quarter.

"Most luxury retailers don't think Hong Kong will return to the dizzy levels of 2014 when the market here peaked," said Simon Smith, Savills' senior director of research and consultancy in Hong Kong. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) forecast Hong Kong visitor numbers this year will reach just 70% of 2018 arrivals. It estimates retail sales will grow 15%, holding at around 80% of retail trade from the pre-COVID year. That outstripped total Hong Kong retail sales from a peak hit in 2013 at HK$494.5 billion ($63.0 billion), according to the city's statistics department. ($1 = 6.8510 yuan)($1 = 7.8498 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Farah Master, Jessie Pang, Anne Marie Roantree, Angel Woo and Donny Kwok in Hong Kong, Sophie Yu in Beijing, and Mimosa Spencer in Paris; Writing by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gucci Launches Sustainability Drive as European Fashion Regulation Looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Joshua Kirby | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

It will boost transformation in the Italian fashion industry’s production models, said Gucci in a joint release with French parent Kering. “Luxury brands generally have strong and transparent supply chains and an opportunity to better communicate sourcing quality,” they said. “Luxury brands have the burden to stand for our better selves, as they embody people’s aspirations and ideals,” Mr. Solca said. In 2018, U.K. luxury fashion house Burberry said it would stop burning unsold inventory amid pressure from environmental groups, but some peers continue the practice. The hub’s activities will later be extended to Kering’s other brands, before opening to the wider fashion sector.

☆ Gucci's challenge: reigniting heat while boosting timeless appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

PARIS, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Sabato De Sarno, newly appointed by Kering (PRTP.PA) to reinvigorate its prized Gucci brand, needs to spark heat with a new direction, analysts say - a delicate task, given the emphasis executives have also put on the label's timeless appeal. De Sarno, a senior fashion designer from Valentino, is tasked as creative director with reviving the fortunes of the brand that accounted for two-thirds of Kering's profits in 2021. Analysts welcomed Kering's choice of a seasoned but relatively unknown designer, noting that previous creative director Michele did not have a public profile when he was appointed in 2002. His experience at Valentino suggests a "less eccentric aesthetic" than Gucci's previous designer, noted Carole Madjo of Barclays. The designer rose through Valentino's ranks after his arrival in 2009 to become fashion director overseeing both the men's and women's collections, working closely with chief designer Pierpaolo Piccioli.

PARIS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - French luxury goods group Kering (PRTP.PA) has appointed Sabato De Sarno, a senior fashion designer at Valentino, as creative director of its top brand Gucci, it said on Saturday. "I am touched and excited to contribute my creative vision for the brand.”He will present his debut Gucci runway collection at Milan Women's Fashion Week in September 2023. Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri said that having worked with a number of Italy's most renowned luxury fashion houses, De Sarno "brings with him a vast and relevant experience." "Gucci - and the Kering shareholders - need courage and an original point of view." "The eyes of the world will be on him to see if he also has the required creative genius."

☆ Luxury group LVMH's sales defy downturn as shoppers splurge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Marco BelloPARIS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Luxury goods group LVMH's (LVMH.PA) sales rose 9% in the fourth quarter as shoppers in Europe and the United States splurged over the crucial holiday season, helping partly to offset COVID disruptions in China. Sales at the world's biggest luxury group reached 22.7 billion euros ($24.65 billion) in the final three months of the year, with the 9% increase on an organic basis a touch above analyst expectations for 7% growth, based on a consensus cited by UBS. LVMH has gained market share every year since 2019, its boss Bernard Arnault, the world's richest man, said. The group proposed a dividend of 12 euros per share, up from 10 euros a year ago. LVMH's shares have hit new highs this month, giving the luxury goods group a market capitalisation of 400 billion euros for the first time and cementing its lead as Europe's most valuable company.

☆ Swatch positive on recovery in luxury demand from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Says January sales have exceeded January 2022Company now expects record sales for 2023Stock hits highest level since July 2021ZURICH, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Swatch Group (UHR.S) shares hit their highest level in nearly two-and-a-half years on Tuesday after the world's biggest watchmaker said it expected a recovery in luxury demand from China. The sales growth in January in China reinforces the Group's expectation to aim for a record year in 2023." The outlook sent Swatch's shares to their highest level since July 2021, and was the latest positive signal for the luxury sector at the start of the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. "To reach the record sales number of 2014 Swatch Group would need to have growth of 16% in 2023," said Patrik Schwendimann of Zuercher Kantonalbank. Europe's luxury sector($1 = 0.9192 Swiss francs)Reporting by John Revill; editing by Kirsten Donovan and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Luxury eyes focused on China after Richemont's Q3 sales miss
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Q3 sales rise by 8% but miss market forecastsMainland China sales drop 24%Company says customer demand in China now picking upAll eyes on China for luxury sector, say analystsZURICH, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Cartier jewellery maker Richemont (CFR.S) missed market forecasts during its latest quarter as the resurgence of COVID-19 in China hit sales there, highlighting the country's importance for the luxury sector. Richemont, whose other brands include Swiss watchmakers IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre, has been seeing strong sales growth in Europe, the Middle East and Japan, particularly for jewellery. But the mainland Chinese market - which accounts for about a fifth of the group's sales, according to Zuercher Kantonalbank estimates - struggled with sales down 24% in constant currency terms. The prospect of a pickup in Chinese sales meant analysts were not too worried by Richemont's quarterly miss. "The catch-up from Chinese consumers will come as strong as sales decelerated in 3Q, as they were able to save money during the lockdowns."

LONDON/ZURICH, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Luxury retailers Richemont (CFR.S) and Burberry (BRBY.L) said they were optimistic that consumers in China would start spending again, helping offset three years of upheaval from the government's strict COVID-19 lockdowns and soaring infections. Richemont (CFR.S), whose brands include Cartier jewellery and Swiss watches IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre, also said it expected a strong rebound in China. The European luxury sector is among the largest expected winners as China loosens COVID-19 restrictions that kept shoppers out of stores for months. Richemont missed market estimates after sales in China plunged by a quarter, as customer traffic dwindled and staff were not available, leading to a reduction of boutique hours, or temporary closures of sales points, the company said. Mainland China is currently 25% of Burberry sales, down from about 40% pre-pandemic.

PARIS/MILAN, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Gucci kicked off Milan fashion week on Friday with a lineup of slouchy, androgynous menswear styles, forging ahead with its latest collection while the industry waits for owner Kering (PRTP.PA) to name a new designer for the label. The question of who will steer Gucci's creative direction loomed over the megabrand's first men's show in the Italian fashion capital in three years. Events run through Jan. 17, drawing an audience that includes major retail buyers sizing up which styles might be future top sellers. Gucci held back on marketing investments during the pandemic, while larger rival LVMH's two biggest labels Louis Vuitton and Dior pushed ahead, a move that analysts say helped them gain ground on rivals. Despite the current turbulence at Kering, however, expectations are high given the group's strong track record nurturing brands, analysts say.

☆ As travel resumes, China's luxury shoppers ask: Paris or Hainan?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"When I would go to Paris, I couldn't ask the Paris sales people to keep a bag for me, but now here we can," she said. Under pandemic travel curbs, China's domestic luxury sales boomed, doubling to 471 billion yuan ($68.25 billion) from 2019 to 2021, according to Bain & Co. Even so, Chinese consumers' share of the global market fell to 21% in 2021 from 25% in 2019. "It will be interesting to see how new luxury consumers will perceive the difference between domestic and overseas luxury shopping," he said. ALTERNATIVESInternational travel restrictions and local policies to spur spending also drove many consumers to China's tax-free island of Hainan as a luxury shopping destination.

☆ Chinese consumers wary of splurging after Beijing relaxes COVID strictures
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"On the other hand, we don't know who is safe, we don't know who has the coronavirus. "Moving from isolation facility quarantine to home quarantine will not increase retail sales significantly," said Iris Pang, chief economist for greater China at ING. A spa at a mall in downtown Beijing that resumed business on Friday said most staff had returned but customers were far fewer. Luca Solca, a luxury analyst with Bernstein, said the end of the curbs was good news for the luxury industry, heavily dependent on Chinese spending. "My base-case scenario is that the softening should prompt Chinese consumers to go back to enjoying life and spending money – benefiting, among others, top luxury brands," he said.

☆ Hermes plans big price rises, says no sign of slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"We will probably have price hikes between 5 and 10 percent," Hermes executive vice president of finance Eric du Halgouet told reporters on Thursday, blaming increased costs and currency movements. Hermes, which has waiting lists for its prized $10,000-plus handbags and limits production to maintain exclusivity, increased prices by around 4% this year and by 1.5-2% on average in previous years. That compares with double-digit price hikes at Chanel. "For the moment, we don't see any sign of slowdown in any of our markets,” said du Halgouet. The Hermes figures suggest that "high-end global luxury goods demand has yet to normalise," said Luca Solca, analyst at Bernstein.

☆ Sales at the world's largest luxury brand jump on strong demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

French luxury goods giant LVMH beat market forecasts in the third quarter, posting a sharp rise in sales as wealthy shoppers splashed out on fashion and Americans in Europe made the most of the strong dollar. The world’s biggest luxury group, home to fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, got an added boost from improved business in China as COVID-19 curbs eased. The group’s fashion and leather goods division led the jump in sales with a 22% increase on the same period a year ago. The third-quarter results for LVMH, which also owns Sephora and Bulgari, kicks off earnings season for the industry. Rivals Hermes and Gucci owner Kering will both report sales for the three months on Oct. 20.

☆ French luxury groups to highlight sector's resilience as demand holds up for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - French luxury groups LVMH (LVMH.PA), Gucci-owner Kering (PRTP.PA) and Hermes (HRMS.PA) are expected to post double-digit third-quarter sales growth as demand for high-end fashion from tourists and shoppers revamping post-pandemic wardrobes remains strong. Without citing a corresponding inflation figure, UBS estimates prices for the sector increased by 4.6% on average this year, through July. A Visible Alpha consensus cited by the bank points to 13% organic sales growth. Pusz expects 13% organic sales growth for Kering and 15% growth at constant rates from Hermes, over the period. LVMH posts third-quarter revenue on Oct. 11, while Kering and Hermes announce results on Oct. 20.

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