2015 Top 10 Health & Beauty Aid Companies

L’Oreal has an almost $15 billion dollar lead on its nearest competitor in the Health & Beauty Aids sector and for good reason. Despite a volatile economic context, L’Oreal’s “Universalisation” strategy, which promotes globalization with respect for differences in consumer desires, needs and traditions, led to growth in all of its divisions and in all geographic zones, with New Markets, the No. 1 zone for the group since 2012, accounting for 39.6 percent of sales.

It was also a year of transformation for L’Oreal, in particular through the acceleration of its digital transformation, and the acquisitions of MAGIC, NIELY and NYX.

L’Oreal’s closest competitor, Estee Lauder, also reported sales gains for 2014. For the year, the company achieved record net sales of $10.97 billion, an 8 percent increase compared with the prior year. Like L’Oreal, emerging markets and digital strategies, like its online, freestanding store, were the primary drivers of this growth, along with strong makeup and luxury brands, and travel retail channels.

By stark contrast, Avon Products, Inc.’s aggressive $400 million multi-year restructuring plan, which includes cutting jobs and exiting markets, has taken longer and been more complex than originally expected by upper management. 2015 will be a defining year for this struggling direct seller.

While not on the Top 5 list, Coty Inc. upped its game in 2015 with its merger of 43 of Procter & Gamble’s beauty brands. The transaction includes P&G’s global salon professional hair care and color, retail hair color, cosmetics and fine fragrance businesses, along with select hair styling brands.

To see the Top 10 Health & Beauty Aid Companies, click on the attachment below.