The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE: EL) today reported net sales of $4.28 billion for its second quarter ended December 31, 2023, a decline of 7% from $4.62 billion in the prior-year period. Organic net sales fell 8%, reflecting the expected challenges in Asia travel retail as well as ongoing softness in overall prestige beauty in mainland China.
The Company reported net earnings of $313 million, compared with net earnings of $394 million in the prior-year period. The Company’s reported effective tax rate was 37.6% in the quarter, compared to 25.4% in the prior-year period. The increase in rate reflects a higher effective tax rate on the Company’s foreign operations, due to the change in the Company’s geographical mix of earnings for fiscal 2024 as well as the unfavorable impact from previously issued share-based compensation.
CEO Fabrizio Freda said, “For the second quarter of fiscal 2024, we delivered our organic sales outlook and exceeded expectations for profitability. The Ordinary and La Mer in Skin Care, Clinique in Makeup, and Le Labo and Jo Malone London in Fragrance performed strongly. Many developed and emerging markets around the world continued to grow organically and at retail. While mainland China and Asia travel retail declined, our retail sales trended ahead of organic sales, and these businesses are poised to return to organic sales growth in the second half.”
EL shares popped $17.72, or 13.2% to $151.75.
