Here’s where you’ll find all of the latest information and developments about the DOUGLAS Group, as well as all current press releases.
Düsseldorf, 19 December, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, has successfully concluded the financial year 2023/24 with strong results. In the financial year that marked the company’s IPO, the DOUGLAS Group has made steady progress in implementing its growth strategy “Let it Bloom”, significantly deleveraged its balance sheet and sharpened its profile as a leading premium beauty retailer.
In the period from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, the DOUGLAS Group grew sales by 8.7% to 4.45 billion euros (FY 22/23: 4.1 billion euros). Both store sales with 8.2% (lfl: +7.5%) and E-Com with +9.8% (lfl: +12.1%) contributed to overall growth. Adj. EBITDA amounted to 808.6 million euros – an increase of 11.4% compared to the prior financial year, and corresponding to an adj. EBITDA margin of 18.2% (FY 22/23: 17.7%). The Group achieved a significantly improved positive net income of 84.0 million euros (FY 22/23: 16.7 million euros). Free Cash Flow (FCF) increased to 524.0 million euros (FY 2022/23: 480.6 million euros).
The DOUGLAS Group therefore exceeded both its initial sales guidance of around 7% growth for the financial year as well as its revised guidance of around 8.5% after it got upgraded in July 2024 following strong first nine months of the financial year. The Group steadily moves towards achieving its mid-term earnings guidance of an expected adj. EBITDA margin of around 18.5%.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “I am very happy that we not only delivered yet another year of excellent results, but also managed to exceed our upgraded guidance. At the same time, we accomplished good progress in implementing our growth strategy and sustainability initiatives. Together with our significantly improved financial profile, this provides us with a strong tailwind and robust foundation to further reinforce our leading market position – now and in the years to come. As a result, we have entered the new financial year from a position of strength. Congratulations to the entire team and our four retail brands – you have truly excelled in 2023/24.”
Strong finish to 2023/24 provides momentum for financial year 2024/25
From July to September 2024, the DOUGLAS Group continued to record strong omnichannel growth. Group sales improved by 8.7% (reported) to 959.9 million euros (lfl: +9.4%), to which stores contributed 8.3% and E-Com 9.5%. On a like-for-like base, store sales increased by 7.8% and E-Com by 12.8% compared to the previous year. Adj. EBITDA was up 10.9% to 151.5 million euros (FY 22/23: 136.7 million euros), corresponding to an adj. EBITDA margin of 15.8% (FY 22/23: 15.5%).
On top of a strong fourth quarter, the Group started well into the first quarter of the new financial year. Based on these results, the DOUGLAS Group expects sales to increase to 4.7 billion euros to 4.8 billion euros in the financial year 2024/25. Growth is expected to be driven by both channels with an anticipated increase of store sales in the mid-single-digit range and an anticipated increase of E‑Com sales in the high-single-digit range. The Group expects an adj. EBITDA of 855 to 885 million euros. Average NWC is expected to amount to less than 5% of total Group sales in 2024/25.
The DOUGLAS Group further expects an increase in the consolidated net income to 225 to 265 million euros in the financial year 2024/25. This assumption is based on an improvement in the above mentioned adj. EBITDA and in the financial result due to the completed refinancing in the wake of the successful IPO, as well as depreciation and a tax rate at the average level of previous years. The expected strong increase in the consolidated net income and a continued healthy free cash flow development should result in further deleveraging. Therefore, the DOUGLAS Group makes steady progress towards achieving a leverage ratio of around 2.0x at the end of the calendar year 2025.
Sustained omnichannel success as ‘Let it Bloom’ strategy unfolds
Sales growth in the financial year 2023/24 resulted from positive developments across all segments, with DACHNL, CEE (Central Eastern Europe) and PD/NB (Parfumdreams / Niche Beauty) growing particularly strongly and double-digit. The online channel continued to gain traction in CEE as E‑Com grew above 20% for the second consecutive year on top of double-digit growth in store sales.
Underlined by sustained strong performance across all channels and in line with the growth strategy “Let it Bloom”, the Group continues to advance its successful omnichannel model both strategically and operationally. In a multi-phase rollout over the next years – starting in early 2025 in the Netherlands –, the customer loyalty program will be fully redesigned and harmonized internationally. The new program will include new Beauty Card tiers, facilitated personalization and omnichannel shopping activation as well as additional benefits rewarding customers for purchases.
At the same time, the company continues to develop its store network: In the financial year 2023/24, the DOUGLAS Group has opened 54 new stores and refurbished 144 existing ones (including relocations). 20 stores were closed in the same period, which included six franchise stores. This November, a new Flagship store opened in a prestige location in Zagreb, Croatia. Further upcoming strategic openings in the financial year 2024/25 include Antwerp, Salzburg and Berlin.
Major progress in ESG initiatives
The company has achieved major milestones in all three fields of action of its sustainability strategy on its path to become a leading premium beauty retailer in sustainability:
Start of the financial year 2024/25
The DOUGLAS Group started well into the new financial year 2024/25 with the important pre-Christmas sales period including additional sales highlights Singles’ Day and Beauty Friday.
Overview Financial Results
Q4 FY 2023/24 | Q4 2022/23 | Q4 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales | €883.1m | €959.9m | +8.7% | +9.4% |
Stores | €615.4m | €666.6m | +8.3% | +7.8% |
E-Commerce | €267.8m | €293.2m | +9.5% | +12.8% |
E-Commerce % of sales | 30.3% | 30.6% | +0.2ppts |
|
Segment DACHNL | €410.4m | €460.5m | +12.2% | +12.7% |
Segment France | €161.0m | €160.1m | -0.6% | -1.0% |
Segment SE | €130.2m | €143.5m | +10.2% | +9.7% |
Segment CEE | €127.5m | €146.4m | +14.8% | +11.6% |
| Segment PD/NB | €40.1m | €43.1m | +7.4% | +7.4% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €136.7m | €151.5m | +10.9% |
|
Net Income | -€28.2m | €71.8m | Pos. |
|
FY 2023/24 | FY 2022/23 | FY 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales | €4,093.9m | €4,451.0m | +8.7% | +9.1% |
Stores | €2,771.4m | €2,999.5m | +8.2% | +7.5% |
E-Commerce | €1,322.4m | €1,451.4m | +9.8% | +12.1% |
E-Commerce % of sales | 32.3% | 32.6% | +0.3ppts |
|
Segment DACHNL | €1,871.9m | €2,073.1m | +10.7% | +11.0% |
Segment France | €813.5m | €838.2m | +3.0% | +2.5% |
Segment SE | €625.6m | €665.8m | +6.4% | +5.7% |
Segment CEE | €556.4m | €652.1m | +17.2% | +14.6% |
| Segment PD/NB | €171.6m | €190.2m | +10.8% | +11.1% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €725.9m | €808.6m | +11.4% |
|
Liquidity (30 September) | €262.3m | €98.9m | -62.3% |
|
Net Income | €16.7m | €84.0m | +404.2% |
|
Segment Overview: DACHNL (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands), France (France, Monaco), SE / Southern Europe (Andorra, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain), CEE / Central Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia), PD/NB (Parfumdreams, Niche Beauty)
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,880 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2023/24, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales of around 4.5 billion euros and employed around 19,200 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: newsroom@douglas.de
Stefanie Steiner
Director Investor Relations and M&A
Tel: +49 211 16847 8594
Mail: ir@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 5 December 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, significantly expands the range of its Retail Media solutions with the upcoming launch of a new self-service platform and an initial phase of enhanced industry partnerships. Leveraging its data capabilities and leading market position, the company thereby offers brands – both existing partners and brands beyond the DOUGLAS Group network – unparalleled insights and access to high-quality audiences within the beauty industry.
Retail Media is the fastest-growing area in digital advertising (Source: IAB Europe) and an important part of the DOUGLAS Group’s growth strategy "Let It Bloom". By utilizing the company’s own digital and physical channels, Retail Media enables brands to use data-driven advertising to directly reach consumers at pivotal decision points. With third-party cookies gradually phasing out, Retail Media is often referred to as the “third wave” of digital advertising by leveraging valuable first-party data from customer shopping behaviour, such as browsing patterns and purchase history. With its strong business unit DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions, the DOUGLAS Group is at the forefront of the Retail Media development and is now expanding its offering for clients with much-requested new services.
New self-service platform with increased autonomy and control
Launching in the first quarter of 2025 across nine countries including Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy, a new self-service platform will give media partners direct access to on-site booking placements across DOUGLAS Group channels – catering to the growing demand for flexibility and precision targeting. The tool will offer partners autonomy to tailor their campaigns and respond swiftly to market needs without relying on account managers. The DOUGLAS Group therefore streamlines campaign management for brands, further establishing itself as a convenient and efficient partner for media planning and execution. Brand partners can join a waiting list now for exclusive early access in the soft launch phase.
Enhanced industry partnerships for offsite media activation and unique insights
In addition to the self-service platform and in an initial phase, the DOUGLAS Group further leverages its data capabilities through enhanced partnerships with TheTradeDesk and cmmrcl.ly, which serve clients with advanced tools for precise digital advertising and analytics. These collaborations will allow brands both within and beyond the DOUGLAS Group network to take advantage of first-party data from Europe’s leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty for their own marketing efforts. This strategic pilot enables brands to access high-value audience segments within beauty, from purchase intent to category interest even outside the DOUGLAS Group websites, expanding advertising possibilities into the open web and across a range of digital channels, including Digital Out of Home (DOOH), Connected TV (CTV), Social Media, mobile and audio.
Jessica Wegner, Senior Vice President Group Retail Media & Managing Director of DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions, said: “We are a media powerhouse within beauty, and our expanded Retail Media offering marks a transformative step in the industry's digital advertising landscape. With our new self-service platform and data collaborations, we are listening to the feedback from our brand partners and agencies and are now enabling them to engage with audiences in a more direct and insightful manner than ever before. These advancements reflect our dedication to driving value through responsible and high-quality data usage. As Retail Media enters a new era, the DOUGLAS Group will continue to set the standard for impactful, consumer-centred advertising solutions.”
DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions: Rapid growth and success
Since its launch five years ago, the DOUGLAS Group's Retail Media division, DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions, has rapidly expanded across nine markets and now counts up to 40 experts. Through its use of consumer insights and personalized omnichannel media strategies – including data-driven off- and on-site advertising solutions and product testing campaigns –, the DOUGLAS Group has established itself as a pioneering force in Retail Media. Over the past five years, DOUGLAS Marketing Solutions achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 60% in sales and has become a high-margin revenue stream and important pillar in the Group's "Let it Bloom" strategy.
As a leader in Retail Media, the DOUGLAS Group rigorously ensures that customer information is handled with the utmost care and in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data privacy laws. The data-driven solutions prioritize customer privacy by exclusively utilizing aggregated and anonymized data insights. Robust security protocols are in place to protect data at every stage, safeguarding both customer trust and data integrity.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,870 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: newsroom@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 3 December 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, kicks off the festive season with an international 360-degree Christmas campaign with the motto "GIFT THE DOUGLAS FEELING”. Through beauty gifting-inspired narratives, DOUGLAS celebrates the magic of gifting and receiving, emotional connections, and cherished moments. The campaign – developed in cooperation with the creative agency Jung von Matt and shot by photographer Esther Haase and film director Giada Bossi – launches today and will be activated internationally across all online and offline channels.
“We all know the joy about receiving thoughtful gifts and the beautiful feeling of fulfilling that special wish – this is what we call the ‘DOUGLAS feeling’”, says Anke Menkhorst, SVP Group Marketing at the DOUGLAS Group. “With this year’s Christmas campaign, we focus on the intimate moments of love and appreciation between people at Christmas – and how a thoughtful, personal beauty gift makes a wonderful expression of love. With a wealth of gift ideas available in our stores, online shop, and app, DOUGLAS offers an inspirational shopping experience for everyone looking for the perfect Christmas gift.”
Mint-colored gifts
In the campaign, DOUGLAS puts renewed focus on the brand color mint – a distinctive color with rejuvenating and premium associations that are strongly associated with DOUGLAS. Mint-colored gifts act as a recurring element in all visuals, creating a memorable and recognizable campaign. In line with the DOUGLAS Group's omnichannel model, the campaign will be activated internationally across all channels – including TV, print, out-of-home, online, and stores – for a consistent and cohesive brand experience.
Experiential local events bring the “DOUGLAS feeling” to customers
The international campaign activation will be complemented by local, innovative event concepts. In Düsseldorf, Germany, customers can experience the “DOUGLAS feeling” at various spots across the city throughout December, including a DOUGLAS booth at the Christmas market with special activations by different brand partners. In addition, DOUGLAS hosts a hot chocolate pop-up in cooperation with Café Buur at the Königsallee. Customers can look forward to special hot chocolate creations by luxury brand partners and gift vouchers that can be redeemed at nearby DOUGLAS stores. Furthermore, at the beginning of December, influencers will be invited to an exclusive Christmas event with DOUGLAS and share the spirit of giving with their communities.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,870 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and has been named a Top Company for Women in a global ranking by Forbes.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: newsroom@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 19 November 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, has been named a Top Company for Women in a global ranking by Forbes. In collaboration with the market research company Statista, the renowned business magazine has published its list of the world's best employers for women in 2024, and the DOUGLAS Group ranks first among global retail and wholesale companies, third in the comprehensive global cross-industry list, and first among all companies in Germany. The award recognizes the Group's ongoing commitment to creating a work environment that empowers and inspires women.
“Supporting female entrepreneurship is core to the DOUGLAS Group's identity. We are proud that our efforts to empower women in every possible way are reflected in the experience and perception of the women surveyed”, said Mareike Mende-Ratnam, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of the DOUGLAS Group. “We are absolutely committed to continue on this path and to further boost our actions to inspire and support women so that they can evolve according to their individual vision.”
Ranking based on individual experiences of respondents and their outside image of companies
The survey conducted by Forbes and Statista was carried out among 100,000 women employed in multinational corporations in 37 countries. The respondents, who were recruited via a panel, were asked to score companies on their general assessment of workplace conditions as well as gender-specific matters, including aspects such as gender pay equality, promotion opportunities, management’s responses to female discrimination concerns, and the perception of industry competitors. The responses were aggregated to create an “employer brand score”, a “public opinion score” and a “leadership score”, and subsequently combined with survey data collected over the past three years. The top 400 international companies – including the DOUGLAS Group on third place globally – were awarded a certificate as World’s Top Company for Women 2024. A requirement was that they were operating in at least two major regions, such as Central and Eastern Europe.
Female empowerment at the DOUGLAS Group
Supporting women is an integral part of the DOUGLAS Group’s DNA: DOUGLAS was born and grew out of the vision of two sisters, and since then many courageous, passionate and entrepreneurial women have driven the continuous growth of the company. The above-average proportion of female employees (Financial Year 2022/23: around 97% in stores and around 70% in HQs) and women in management positions (FY 2022/23: 89%) are testament to the DOUGLAS Group’s commitment to empower, inspire and motivate women to develop their full potential. At the same time, the Group is advocating for true inclusion and gender equality in line with its purpose to make life more beautiful for its employees, its customers and the world. This includes prioritizing equal opportunities, ensuring the representation of women and driving initiatives to attract and develop talent – such as mentoring programs and trainings to prepare women for future leadership roles.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,870 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: newsroom@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 7 October, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, has rolled out a major redesign of its websites, online shops and apps for a further improved customer experience and enhanced brand positioning aligned with the premium appeal and identity of the DOUGLAS brand. The upgraded design aims to create an emotionally engaging beauty shopping experience and closely interlinks the online channels with the around 1,870 DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ stores for a true omnichannel journey.
Philipp Andrée, Chief Commercial Officer of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “We know that our customers want more than just being able to do beauty shopping online in addition to visiting the store – they expect a holistic and coherent experience across all channels. At the DOUGLAS Group, we have been following this credo for years. With the redesign, we are now taking the omnichannel experience to a new level while at the same time further elevating the premium appeal of our brand. The team has done a great job and the feedback from our customers clearly shows that we have delivered on their expectations.”
True omnichannel shopping and improved user experience
In line with the growth strategy “Let it Bloom”, the redesign closely interconnects the digital channels with the on-site store experience by e.g. featuring prominent placements of the store finder, dedicated in-store services and omnichannel offerings such as Click & Collect or Click & Collect Express (available in select countries). To further facilitate cross-channel shopping, personalized services are now extended with a new “Favorite Store” function: After selecting a favorite or nearby DOUGLAS or NOCIBÉ store, users can enjoy additional benefits like information on in-store product availability, pre-filled data for e.g. Click & Collect orders, and notifications about upcoming events.
Beyond the increased omnichannel activation and a greatly enhanced, uniform look and feel with expanded space for brand showcases and clutter-free high-quality visuals, the new websites, online shops and apps also include a wide range of UX & UI updates to assist customers in quickly finding the information or product they are looking for. Customer centricity is a key success factor for the DOUGLAS Group: As part of the development process, the project team has conducted numerous User Tests and A/B Tests to ensure the highest degree of customer satisfaction.
App as a key performance driver
The online business is an important pillar of the DOUGLAS Group strategy and accounts for around one third of total Group sales. In the third quarter of the financial year 2023/24, E-Com contributed 9.8% growth in sales (net). The app in particular is a strong growth driver: It recorded more than 125 million visits in the last full financial year, drives loyalty and customer activation, and acts as an omnichannel hyperconnector with around 24% of DOUGLAS Group customers also using the app.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,870 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: newsroom@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 14 August, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, continued its strong financial and business performance in the third quarter of the financial year 2023/24 (April to June 2024) as it successfully further implements its “Let it Bloom” strategy. Since going public in March 2024, the company significantly deleveraged its balance sheet and strategically sharpened its profile as a customer-centric premium beauty retailer.
In the third quarter of the financial year 2023/24, the DOUGLAS Group grew sales (net) by 7.3% to 977.1 million euros (Q3 22/23: 910.5 million euros), confirming preliminary numbers published 17 July 2024. Store sales (net) grew by 7.2% (lfl: +6.3%) and E-Com sales (net) 7.5% year-on-year (lfl: +9.8%) – underlining the Group’s uniquely positioned omnichannel business model.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “Our sustained strong performance and continued growth – even above our expectations – demonstrate the resilience of our business model. Fully focusing on premium beauty is the right course for us, and this strategy strongly resonates with our customers. We’ll continue to build on this success and our strong brand.”
High demand for on-site shopping and personal beauty advice
DOUGLAS stores across Europe recorded a strong uplift in both visitors (+16.9%) and customers (+8.1%), emphasizing the important on-site experience and personal advice in beauty retail. The online business – which accounted for around one third of total Group sales – developed particularly well in DACHNL and CEE.
The DOUGLAS Group has successfully completed the integration of parfumdreams logistics into the OWAC (OWAC = One Warehouse, All Channels) in Hamm, Germany. As a result of temporary operational challenges directly related to the integration, segment sales (net) of PD/NB decreased by -10.2%. For the future, the DOUGLAS Group anticipates a significant positive impact on cost efficiency, profitability and ultimately the customer experience due to the streamlined supply chain.
From April to June 2024, the DOUGLAS Group achieved an adj. EBITDA of 162.9 million euros (Q3 22/23: 154.3 million euros), an improvement of 5.6% over the previous year. This corresponds to an adj. EBITDA margin of 16.7% (Q3 22/23: 16.9%).
The financial result was impacted by negative one-off effects of around 85 million euros – around 31 million euros of which are cash effective – related to the redemption of secured notes and senior unsecured notes in April following the company’s IPO. Net income thus came in at -71.6 million euros (Q3 22/23: -26.1 million euros).
Full-year sales guidance raised due to strong performance in the first nine months
In the first nine months of the financial year (October 2023 to June 2024), Group sales (net) increased by 8.7% to around 3.5 billion euros (9M 22/23: around 3.2 billion euros). Growth was driven by both store sales (net) which rose by 8.2% (lfl: +7.4%) and E-Com which grew even stronger at 9.8% (lfl: +11.9%). In the same period, the Group generated an adj. EBITDA of 657.1 million euros, up 11.5% compared to the previous year and corresponding to an adj. EBITDA margin of 18.8% (9M 22/23: 18.4%). Free cash flow rose to 465.2 million euros.
Following the sustained positive business development and strong sales (net) numbers for the third quarter and first nine months, the DOUGLAS Group has raised its outlook for the financial year 2023/24 on 17 July 2024. The company now expects net sales to grow around 8.5% (previously: around 7%). The Group is well on track to deliver its mid-term earnings guidance of an expected adj. EBITDA margin of around 18.5%, after 17.7% in the financial year 2022/23.
Continuous development of store network – grand reopening in Vienna
The store business is a key pillar and growth driver for the DOUGLAS Group; just recently it celebrated the reopening of its “House of Beauty” luxury flagship store in Vienna with a grand ceremony and a visit by Hollywood star and DOUGLAS Group testimonial Diane Kruger. The luxury store offers a strong and curated selection of brands and products as well as individual beauty services on two floors with a sales area of 795m².
The company is on track to achieve its target of more than 200 store openings (net) and more than 400 store refurbishments by the end of 2026: In the first nine months of the financial year, it has opened 38 new stores and refurbished 69 existing ones (including relocations). 19 stores were closed in the same period, which included six franchise stores.
Truly Beauty, truly Premium: DOUGLAS Group refines its profile
In line with its growth strategy “Let it Bloom”, the DOUGLAS Group further sharpened its profile. With the sale of online pharmacy Disapo to Dutch MYA Health completed at the end of July, the Group now fully focusses on its resilient and fast-growing core premium beauty business where it strives to provide the best omnichannel shopping experience for its customers.
To further enhance the DOUGLAS Group’s premium positioning across all channels and along all customer touchpoints, the Group websites including the online shop and apps will receive a new look and feel starting in early September, aligned with the premium appeal and identity of the DOUGLAS brand. The redesign aims to create an emotionally engaging and inspiring beauty experience for customers – no matter on which device they prefer to shop. Alongside the new interface and a standardized infrastructure, the online channels will be more closely interlinked with the DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ stores, offering customers a true omnichannel shopping experience.
Overview Financial Results
Q3 FY 2023/24 | Q3 2022/23 | Q3 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales (net) | €910.5m | €977.1m | +7.3% | +7.4% |
Stores | €619.3m | €664.1m | +7.2% | +6.3% |
E-Commerce | €291.2m | €313.0m | +7.5% | +9.8% |
E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 32.0% | 32.0% | +0.1ppt |
|
Segment DACHNL | €423.2m | €465.2m | +9.9% | +10.6% |
Segment France | €166.3m | €174.3m | +4.8% | +3.8% |
Segment Southern Europe | €139.3m | €146.2m | +4.9% | +3.7% |
Segment Central Eastern Europe | €124.8m | €144.0 | +15.3% | +12.2% |
| Segment PD/NB | €44.8m | €40.3m | -10.2% | -10.2% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €154.3m | €162.9m | +5.6% |
|
Net Income | -€26.1m | -€71.6m | -173.9% |
|
9M FY 2023/24 | 9M 2022/23 | 9M 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales (net) | €3,210.8m | €3,491.1m | +8.7% | +8.9% |
Stores | €2,156.1m | €2,332.9m | +8.2% | +7.4% |
E-Commerce | €1,054.7m | €1,158.2m | +9.8% | +11.9% |
E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 32.8% | 33.2% | +0.3ppt |
|
Segment DACHNL | €1,461.5m | €1,612.6m | +10.3% | +10.4% |
Segment France | €652.5m | €678.1m | +3.9% | +3.4% |
Segment Southern Europe | €495.5m | €522.3m | +5.4% | +4.8% |
Segment Central Eastern Europe | €428.9m | €505.8m | +17.9% | +15.2% |
| Segment PD/NB | €131.5m | €147.1m | +11.9% | +12.3% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €589.2m | €657.1m | +11.5% |
|
Liquidity (30 June) | €239.4m | €106.2m |
|
|
Net Income | €44.9m | €12.2m | -72.7% |
|
Segment Overview: DACHNL (Germany / Austria / Switzerland, The Netherlands / Belgium), France (France, Monaco), Southern Europe (Croatia / Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Spain / Andorra), Central Eastern Europe / CEE (Bulgaria / Romania, Czech Republic / Slovakia / Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland), PD/NB (Parfumdreams / Niche Beauty)
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,870 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Stefanie Steiner
Director Investor Relations and M&A
Tel: +49 211 16847 8594
Mail: ir@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 1 August, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, promotes its successful Corporate Brand DOUGLAS COLLECTION (NOCIBÉ COLLECTION in France) with a dedicated 360-degree brand campaign under the slogan “#IYKYK – IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW” – the first-ever DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION brand campaign. The campaign, which focuses on the brand's make-up range, will be launched on 1 August and activated internationally across all online and offline channels between August and September.
"Not only do we have strong, well-known premium beauty retail brands with DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ, but also a comprehensive range of high-quality products and brands developed at and exclusively available at the DOUGLAS Group”, says Anke Menkhorst, SVP Group Marketing at the DOUGLAS Group. “With its first-ever international omnichannel brand campaign, we want to increase awareness of our largest in-house brand, the DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION."
Campaign concept based on consumer insights and picking up on a social media trend
The campaign’s attention-grabbing slogan, the hashtag #IYKYK, picks up on a current social media trend and alludes to insider knowledge – in this case that the DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION offers high-quality make-up products at an affordable price.
"With our DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION, we aim to democratize premium cosmetics. We believe: Beauty is a right, not a privilege!”, says Susanne Cornelius, CEO Corporate Brands at the DOUGLAS Group. “The idea for the campaign concept emerged from a consumer insight: Customers who have tried DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION products once and know about their premium quality gladly come back for more – in other words: if you know, you know."
The campaign primarily targets young, social media-savvy consumers. Its aim is to raise awareness of the DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION brand concept and make-up products and to expand the target group by creating talk value.
Strong focus on beauty expertise and personal advice in DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ stores
The campaign focuses on the DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION make-up bestsellers and customers’ product favorites as well as the beauty expertise of around 15,000 Beauty Advisors in the DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ stores across Europe. Highlighted products include the Skin Augmenting Hydra Powder and the Lash Curve Mascara as bestsellers, and the Lovely Lip Oil as a novelty. They all feature high-quality formulas, exceptional textures, and sophisticated effects at an affordable price.
Free DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION make-up touch-ups will be offered in all DOUGLAS and NOCIBÉ stores during the campaign period (varies by country) so that customers can try and experience the products themselves. The promotion underlines DOUGLAS’ and NOCIBÉ’s premium brand positioning with a strong focus on beauty expertise, inspiration, and personal advice.
Target group-oriented omnichannel activation
In line with the DOUGLAS Group's omnichannel model, the campaign will be activated internationally across all online and offline channels for a consistent brand experience at all touchpoints. Special focus is placed on target group-oriented social media and influencer activations with educational and interactive content formats as well as an innovative event concept in cooperation with Café Soulbrunch in Düsseldorf, Germany. For one month, customers can test the DOUGLAS COLLECTION products in a special atmosphere and experience them in the form of an exclusive #IYKYK menu inspired by the products. The local activation kicks off with an influencer event that includes a DOUGLAS COLLECTION masterclass, food tastings, and other innovative activities.
About DOUGLAS Group Corporate Brands
Corporate Brands are an important strategic pillar of the DOUGLAS Group’s assortment, ranging across all core product categories. They are aimed at building customer loyalty as well as broadening the customer base by capturing current trends and offering a great value proposition.
The largest Corporate Brand is the DOUGLAS & NOCIBÉ COLLECTION. It is positioned as an entry point to the premium beauty assortment and offers consumers high-quality products at an affordable price in all relevant beauty categories: skin care, make-up, hair care, fragrances, and accessories. The other three Corporate Brands Dr. Susanne von Schmiedeberg, Jardin Bohème, and one.two.free! capitalize on selected growth segments, such as specialist face care and fragrance. The DOUGLAS Group continuously strives to refresh its Corporate Brands Portfolio with a well-filled innovation pipeline.
Corporate Brands boost the Groups’ profitability and growth and accounted for approximately 7.5% of sales (net) in the financial year 2022/23. As part of its ‘Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026’ strategy, the DOUGLAS Group aims to significantly increase sales (net) from Corporate Brands until 2027 and beyond.
With its brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, the DOUGLAS Group is the leading omnichannel provider of premium beauty in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group inspires its customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. The DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a selected range of exclusive brands as well as its own corporate brands. The product range includes fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, accessories and beauty services. The corporate strategy "Let it Bloom - DOUGLAS 2026" focuses on strengthening the successful omnichannel positioning and the consistent further development of the customer experience. The successful business model is based on the DOUGLAS Group's omnichannel offering, leading brands and data expertise. In the 2022/23 financial year, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 31 July, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, today announced a change in the organization in the Netherlands and Belgium: After more than 25 years in different functions at the DOUGLAS Group, Willem Duthler, CEO BENE, has decided to step down from his role due to personal reasons as of 9 September 2024. He will be succeeded by Sebastiaan de Jong as new CEO Netherlands and Belgium.
Sebastiaan de Jong brings a wealth of experience from different retail functions to the DOUGLAS Group. With more than 25 years in various international managerial positions at Dutch drugstore chain Etos, Dutch retailer Ahold and Intergamma Benelux, he has a proven track record of strategically driving growth and innovation in the retail sector. Sebastiaan de Jong will start at the DOUGLAS Group on 12 August 2024, ensuring a smooth transition before taking over the baton from Willem Duthler in September.
“I am really happy that we were able to win Sebastiaan for this position. His expertise in the European retail landscape combined with his inclusive leadership style and ability to create strong teams will be instrumental as we continue to bring our strategy ‘Let it Bloom’ to life in the Netherlands and Belgium. We look forward to our future collaboration and wish Sebastiaan a great start at the DOUGLAS Group,” said Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group.
Willem Duthler joined DOUGLAS in 1998 as Commercial Manager and eventually became CEO for the Netherlands in 2005. In addition to this position, he held mandates as CEO of the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania organizations as well as Germany and Switzerland, before stepping into his current position in 2017. Under his leadership, the DOUGLAS Group has achieved significant milestones: Thanks to an outstanding team in the country, the company greatly expanded its market presence in the Netherlands, and is on a successful growth trajectory in Belgium as well.
“We would like to thank Willem for his ongoing contribution to the growth of our business – not only in the Netherlands and Belgium. Willem has built a strong team that was further elevated by his experience. He has been an invaluable leader, showing vision and dedication over the past 26 years. I have truly enjoyed our cooperation” said Sander van der Laan. “We wish him all the best in his new phase of life.”
With its brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, the DOUGLAS Group is the leading omnichannel provider of premium beauty in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group inspires its customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. The DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a selected range of exclusive brands as well as its own corporate brands. The product range includes fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, accessories and beauty services. The corporate strategy "Let it Bloom - DOUGLAS 2026" focuses on strengthening the successful omnichannel positioning and the consistent further development of the customer experience. The successful business model is based on the DOUGLAS Group's omnichannel offering, leading brands and data expertise. In the 2022/23 financial year, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 17 July, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, has raised its sales (net) growth forecast for the current financial year from previously around 7% to around 8.5% following sustained positive business development and strong preliminary net sales numbers for the third quarter and first nine months. At the same time, the company is well on its way to deliver the mid-term earnings forecast of an expected adj. EBITDA margin of around 18.5%, after 17.7% in the financial year 22/23. In line with its strategy “Let it Bloom”, the DOUGLAS Group also pushes ahead with its strategic focus on the strongly growing core premium beauty business and is selling its online pharmacy Disapo to MYA Health B.V.
Strong third quarter and first nine months of the financial year
Based on preliminary numbers, the DOUGLAS Group continued its growth trajectory and increased sales (net) by 7.3% in the period from April to June 2024. The growth stems from a strong performance in both channels: while store sales (net) went up 7.2%, E-Com sales (net) grew 7.5%.
In the first nine months (October 2023 – June 2024), Group sales (net) increased by 8.7% to 3.5 billion euros (PY: 3.2 billion euros). This growth was broad-based with store sales (net) rising by 8.2% and E-Com growing even stronger at 9.8%. The performance underscores the Group’s successful omnichannel model.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “We have made excellent progress in recent years and months and increased our sales again in the third quarter. We are growing stronger than expected and continue to improve our profitability. This is exactly how we want to continue.”
The full set of financial figures for the third quarter of the financial year will be published on 14 August 2024.
Clear focus on premium beauty – sale of Disapo to MYA Health B.V. in final stages
The due diligence has been successfully completed and the selling agreement for Disapo was signed by MYA Health B.V. on 16 July 2024. The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of July 2024. As a result of the sale of its online pharmacy business, the DOUGLAS Group anticipates improvements in its profitability in the future.
The DOUGLAS Group had initially acquired Disapo in 2022 as part of its former strategy to enter the pharmacy market and converge beauty and health. With its new growth strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”, introduced in early 2023, the company has since made the fundamental decision to fully shift the focus on the resilient and strongly growing core premium beauty business across its stationary stores and online shops. As such, the DOUGLAS Group had been evaluating various strategic options for its online pharmacy business, eventually leading to the sale of Disapo to MYA Health.
Disapo currently employs around 90 people. The sale of the company has no effect on employees and operations at this point in time. As a result of the transaction, MYA Health will acquire all shares and activities of Disapo, including inventories, the logistics center near Aachen and all assets and intellectual property.
About Disapo and MYA Health
Online pharmacy Disapo B.V. is headquartered in the Dutch city of Heerlen. Operating from its own logistics center near Aachen, Disapo ships a wide range of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription pharmaceuticals as well as cosmetics and supplements.
MYA Health, based in Amsterdam, operates a mobile app offering services around prescriptions and prescription medication, which was founded in 2021 by Christian-Alexander Vry and Dr. Daniel Lewinski. MYA Health is backed by a number of investors, including Fiege Logistics. The combination of MYA and Disapo creates an all-in-one digital offering for people who rely on prescription drugs.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Stefanie Steiner
Director Investor Relations and M&A
Tel: +49 211 16847 8594
Mail: ir@douglas.de
Vienna, July 1, 2024 - DOUGLAS is reopening its luxury flagship store in the heart of Vienna, in Ernst Wahliss' porcelain department store. After closing in mid-April, the store shines in new splendor after just a few weeks of modernization. From July 1st, Viennese and international customers can expect an extensive and luxurious product portfolio as well as individual services on two floors with a total of 795 square meters.
"Our new store at Kärntner Straße 17, right in the heart of Vienna, is an outstanding example of our strategy," says Veit Weiland, CEO DOUGLAS DACH. "It is a triad of iconic architecture, historic urbanity, luxury and expertise in the space. Vienna is a cultural stronghold, center and contact point for European and international customers who value quality, service, inspiration and exclusive products. Here, our customers can enjoy a luxurious shopping experience tailored to their needs. The strategic optimization of our store network is a key component of the Group-wide omnichannel strategy 'Let it Bloom - DOUGLAS 2026'. The House of Beauty in Vienna not only marks a significant and important milestone in Austria, but also the long-term and sustainable implementation of our strategy within the DOUGLAS Group throughout Europe. One thing is certain for us: the stores are and will remain an important point of contact for our customers."
Tradition meets luxury: the DOUGLAS House of Beauty in Vienna
With its unique porcelain-clad façade in the prestigious historicist style, Kärntner Straße 17 is one of Vienna's most famous addresses. The Viennese House of Beauty extends generously over two floors, in which historicist building elements merge with high-quality materials in a modern color concept of white, black and grey with golden accents to create an exclusive shopping ambience with a feel-good factor. The interior design follows a stringent, aesthetic scheme that combines varied product displays and service points to create an inviting and functional retail concept. The beauty favorite in the bustling city center stages exclusive brands such as Nars, Drunk Elephant and Charlotte Tilbury within appealing theme worlds and offers new, innovative beauty applications.
Product diversity in the DOUGLAS brand worlds
On the first floor of the DOUGLAS store, customers can experience the thematically divided theme, brand and product worlds. From facial care brands to trendy decorative cosmetics brands, the store presents a carefully curated brand mix of innovations, bestsellers and classics. The upper floor is home to a diverse range of luxury and niche fragrances, with highlight brands including XERJOFF, Versace Atelier and Creed. The central element of the extensive range is a world of luxury brands, including Chanel, Armani, Tom Ford, Lancôme and Austria's exclusive brands Charlotte Tilbury, Carolina Herrera, Augustinus Bader and Dr. Barbara Sturm. The classics are complemented by young brands such as Sol de Janeiro, MAC and Kylie Cosmetics.
Comprehensive selection of individually tailored services and beauty suite
DOUGLAS customers can look forward to a professional and individual shopping experience: from waxing and plucking to tinting and brow lifting - eyebrows are skillfully staged at the Benefit Brow Bar. In addition, the service portfolio also offers a professional, free skin analysis for personalized care and product recommendations. The highlight of the versatile store concept is the new Beauty Suite on the second floor: perfectly coordinated skincare treatments from brand partners Sensai, La Prairie, Babor, Dermalogica, Dr. Susanne von Schmiedeberg and La Mer as well as innovative, luxurious facial treatments such as microneedling, microdermabrasion, ultrasound and hydrafacial, as well as manicures and pedicures are offered here. For those who need to get ready quickly, the store offers an after-work make-up service, where customers can be styled for the evening in just 15 minutes.
Grand opening celebration
From competitions, lucky bike raffles and products to test, to photo spots and product consultations - at the grand opening celebration from July 18, Viennese customers can look forward to three days of diverse promotions, offers and special beauty entertainment. There will also be a GHD styling station on an event area directly in front of the store.
With its brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, the DOUGLAS Group is the leading omnichannel provider of premium beauty in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group inspires its customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. The DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a selected range of exclusive brands as well as its own corporate brands. The product range includes fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, accessories and beauty services. The corporate strategy "Let it Bloom - DOUGLAS 2026" focuses on strengthening the successful omnichannel positioning and the consistent further development of the customer experience. The successful business model is based on the DOUGLAS Group's omnichannel offering, leading brands and data expertise. In the 2022/23 financial year, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Yasmin Badaghlou
Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 5 June, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, is testing its AI Beauty Advisor Chatbot as the latest innovation in its strategy to elevate the omnichannel customer experience as the company continues to expand its wide AI technology portfolio. Leveraging Google Cloud’s advanced AI technology, the chatbot POC is designed to assist and inspire customers with personalized product recommendations, beauty advice and routine ideas, and gift shopping guidance based on individual preferences and dynamic conversations. During the early testing, the chatbot is available for DOUGLAS Group employees only. Whether it will ultimately be rolled out for customers depends largely on the results of the current test phase.
Pioneering customer experience and operations with AI
The DOUGLAS Group continuously develops and tests new ideas and solutions to elevate the experience for customers – online and offline. In the past, the company has introduced several digital innovations in its stores and apps, including a skin analysis tool allowing customers to determine their skin type, a Fragrance Finder helping users to discover the perfect perfume, and the Beauty Mirror which utilizes augmented reality to enable customers to virtually test various cosmetics.
Beyond these frontend tools, the Group also further leverages AI across large parts of its organization such as pricing, demand forecasting & replenishment as well as marketing, e.g. by utilizing generative AI to accelerate the creation of text and images and to optimize budget allocation.
Integration of beauty profile for personalized shopping advice
The new AI Beauty Advisor Chatbot POC is the latest example of the Group’s commitment to innovation. It leverages Google Cloud’s advanced technology to navigate the DOUGLAS Group’s extensive online product assortment. By understanding and predicting customer preferences, the chatbot enhances the shopping experience, making it more intuitive, enjoyable, and efficient. The chatbot is designed to, when logged in, integrate the data of a customer’s beauty profile – such as product preferences and information from the skin type analysis – to deliver a highly personalized experience.
For example, if asked, “Can you recommend a moisturizing serum suited for dry skin?”, the chatbot can provide specific and customized product recommendations from the wide range of DOUGLAS Group products, taking into account product data like ingredients, brands, price, and personal preferences.
AI to transform interaction between customers and brands
Philipp Andrée, Chief Commercial Officer of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “Our collaboration with Google Cloud and the early testing of an AI Beauty Advisor Chatbot are a testament to our commitment to innovation and always staying on the cutting edge to improve the customer experience. In today's fast-paced world, customers seek hyper-personalized shopping and inspiration, and with innovations such as an AI Beauty Advisor Chatbot we are always working towards meeting these needs. Collaborating with Google Cloud, a leader in AI technology, allows us to leverage their expertise to constantly experiment with new services and offerings for an unparalleled omnichannel beauty shopping experience.”
Bernd Wagner, Managing Director of Google Cloud, Germany, said: “Our collaboration with the DOUGLAS Group marks a significant step in bringing advanced AI solutions to the retail industry. The AI Beauty Advisor Chatbot, developed in collaboration with Google Cloud, showcases the potential of technology to transform the way consumers interact with brands and products - factors critical to a company’s future success."
Currently in early testing, the chatbot is being fine-tuned based on internal feedback to ensure it meets the highest standards of performance and reliability prior to a potential rollout for customers.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Katharina Lessenich
CvD Group Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 29 May, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, continued to grow profitably in the second quarter of the financial year 2023/24 (January – March 2024) and accelerated its trajectory with double-digit offline and online growth.
Confirming preliminary numbers published 15 April 2024, the DOUGLAS Group grew overall sales (net) by 11.5% to around 958 million euros (Q2 2022/23: nearly 860 million euros). Both stores and E-Com developed well: Store sales (net) increased by 11.9% (lfl: +10.8%) and E-Com sales (net) by 10.7% (lfl: +10.4%). Keeping their growth momentum, Group sales have now increased for eleven consecutive quarters.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “We have confirmed our trend and market position with a strong second quarter and good performance in all our segments. Our omnichannel model continues to drive our growth while we kept costs under control and thus further improved our profitability. Beyond that, our recent refinancing greatly expanded our financial flexibility. All of this puts us in an excellent spot to meet our annual and mid-term guidance.”
In the second quarter of the financial year 2023/24, the DOUGLAS Group continued to improve its profitability and generated an adj. EBITDA of 145.9 million euros (Q2 2022/23: 125.5 million euros), a rise of 16.2% compared to the previous year. This corresponds to an adj. EBITDA margin of 15.2%, an increase of 0.6 percentage points year-on-year. All segments contributed to overall sales (net) and adj. EBITDA growth. Net income from January to March came in at ‑41.3 million euros (Q2 2022/23: -42.2 million euros) and was affected by a number of non-recurring effects, including expenses in connection with the DOUGLAS Group’s IPO at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in March 2024 and a positive one-off effect in the financial result due to the valuation of bonds and related assets.
Strong momentum in first six months of the financial year
From October 2023 to March 2024, the DOUGLAS Group achieved net sales of around 2.5 billion euros (+9.3%) and generated an adj. EBITDA of 494.2 million euros, a considerable increase of 13.6% compared to the same period in the financial year 2022/2023. On a half-year basis, store sales (net) increased by 8.6% (lfl: +7.7%) and E-Com sales (net) by 10.7% (lfl: +10.5%), demonstrating the resilience of the omnichannel model and sustained customer demand both offline and online. Net income in the first six months was at 83.9 million euros (H1 2022/23: 71.0 million euros), up 18.1% year-on-year. In addition to the IPO costs, mainly incurred in the second quarter, the half-year was affected by non-recurring effects in the financial result. Free cash flow amounted to 363.4 million euros compared to 237.8 million euros in the previous year.
In April 2024, following its listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the DOUGLAS Group completed a comprehensive refinancing and reduced its net debt by around 1.3 billion euros through the primary proceeds from the IPO, an equity injection by CVC and the Kreke family as well as available liquidity. The new financing comes with improved conditions leading to an expected reduction of yearly interest expenses of up to 100 million euros. The leverage ratio has decreased significantly within a year from 5.0x per 31.03.2023 to 2.7x as of 31.03.2024. The company remains committed to further deleveraging and accordingly expects a positive impact on the future net income.
“Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” implementation well on track
The strong development in recent quarters has been visibly supported by the ongoing implementation of "Let it Bloom". The DOUGLAS Group has recently taken further strategic decisions and passed several key milestones which it expects to drive the positive momentum:
DOUGLAS Group confirms outlook for financial year 2023/24
The DOUGLAS Group forecasts sales (net) to increase by around 7% in the financial year 2023/24 and also mid-term, driven by both channels with an anticipated increase of store sales (net) in the mid-single-digit range and an anticipated increase of E-Com sales (net) in the high-single-digit range. EBITDA is developing positively, in line with the target to develop to an adj. EBITDA margin of around 18.5%. With the results achieved in the first half of the financial year 2023/24, the DOUGLAS Group is well positioned to deliver on this guidance and achieve both this year’s targets as well as the mid-term expectations.
Overview Financial Results
Q2 FY 2023/24 | Q2 2022/23 | Q2 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales (net) | €859.7m | €958.4m | +11.5% | +10.7% |
Stores | €560.1m | €626.9m | +11.9% | +10.8% |
E-Commerce | €299.6m | €331.5m | +10.7% | +10.4% |
E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 34.9% | 34.6% | -0.3ppts |
|
Segment DACHNL | €399.8m | €459.4m | +14.9% | +14.9% |
Segment France | €161.0m | €168.5m | +4.6% | +4.1% |
Segment Southern Europe | €133.9m | €141.9m | +5.9% | +6.1% |
Segment CEE | €113.3m | €136.2m | +20.2% | +17.8% |
| Segment PD/NB | €36.5m | €43.7m | +19.8% | +20.4% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €125.5m | €145.9m | +16.2% |
|
Net Income | -€42.2m | -€41.3m | +2.0% |
|
H1 FY 2023/24 | H1 2022/23 | H1 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales (net) | €2,300.3m | €2,514.0m | +9.3% | +8.7% |
Stores | €1,536.8m | €1,668.8m | +8,6% | +7.7% |
E-Commerce | €763.5m | €845.2m | +10.7% | +10.5% |
E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 33.2% | 33.6% | +0.4ppts |
|
Segment DACHNL | €1,038.3m | €1,147.4m | +10.5% | +10.2% |
Segment France | €486.1m | €503.8m | +3.6% | +3.3% |
Segment Southern Europe | €356.1m | €376.1m | +5.6% | +5.3% |
Segment CEE | €304.1m | €361.8m | +19.0% | +16.3% |
| Segment PD/NB | €86.6m | €106.9m | +23.4% | +23.9% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €435.0m | €494.2m | +13.6% |
|
Liquidity (31 March)* | €238.2m | €818.6m | +243.7% |
|
Net Income | €71.0m | €83.9m | +18.1% |
|
* As of 31 March 2024, only parts of the IPO proceeds as well as the equity injection have been used to repay financial debt. The full refinancing became effective on 15 April 2024.
Segment Overview: DACHNL (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands), France (France, Monaco), Southern Europe (Andorra, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain), Central Eastern Europe / CEE (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia), PD/NB (Parfumdreams, Niche Beauty)
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,860 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe. The DOUGLAS Group (Douglas AG) is listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Stefanie Steiner
Director Investor Relations and M&A
Tel: +49 211 16847 8594
Mail: ir@douglas.de
Warsaw, April 26, 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel destination for premium beauty, continues to expand its store network across Europe and has opened its 150th DOUGLAS store in Poland today. The new store in the Old Town Gallery in Leszno presents a completely new dimension of shopping and brings the offline and online world together. With this step, the DOUGLAS Group further pursues its expansion strategy in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, focusing on growth in major metropolitan areas as well as in smaller cities.
Since entering the Polish market more than 23 years ago, the company has been constantly strengthening its presence, both by opening new stores as well as by modernizing existing stores. In the current financial year, DOUGLAS has already opened 6 new stores in Poland and refurbished 5 existing stores.
"The beauty market is very dynamic and driven by evolving consumer trends. We want to always be close to our customers and respond directly to their needs. With the new store in the Old Town Gallery in Leszno, we are offering our customers a unique premium beauty shopping experience right in the heart of the Old Town. Stores are an essential part of our omnichannel strategy, and the opening of the 150th store in Poland marks yet another milestone in achieving our long-term goals”, says Agnieszka Mosurek-Zava, CEO of DOUGLAS Polska.
Unique shopping experience and customized services
The new store in the Old Town Gallery in Leszno has a sales area of 196 square meters and is the second store in the city of Leszno. It offers customers a variety of different products and beauty services, such as free advanced consultations tailored to individual needs in selecting the right products in skincare, makeup and fragrances, as well as exclusive spa rooms and modern mobile treatment booths. The assortment comprises more than 4,000 products and nearly 80 brands, including global and premium brands such as Dr. Susanne von Schmiedeberg, Sol de Janeiro, Yves Saint Laurent, Estée Lauder and Sensai. Customers will also be able to enjoy free advanced skin condition consultations with professional diagnostic equipment or a free 15-minute makeup treatment.
Bringing together offline and online
As part of its growth strategy “Let it Bloom”, the DOUGLAS Group is constantly developing its product offering, with already nearly 1,500 brands in its portfolio. In line with its omnichannel strategy, the new store in Leszno provides a consistent customer experience that brings offline and online shopping seamlessly together: For example, customers can place orders via the click & collect service and can also order products online with the assistance of the in-store beauty advisors – either to their home or for free to a DOUGLAS store.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Yasmin Badaghlou
Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM PART OF ANY OFFER OR INVITATION TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR, ANY SECURITIES OF DOUGLAS AG, KIRK BEAUTY SUN GMBH OR DOUGLAS SERVICE GMBH.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER MEASURES.
Düsseldorf, 15 April 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel premium beauty destination, has paved the way for the future with a comprehensive refinancing. Following its listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange at the end of March, the company had already used the proceeds and a capital injection to partially prepay an existing facilities agreement in the amount of 675 million euros (nominal). In a second step, with today’s drawing of 1.3 billion euros under the new financing of in total 1.6 billion euros, the Group now redeemed the remaining existing financial indebtedness. As a result of the refinancing, the leverage ratio decreased significantly from previously 4.0x to approx. 2.7x.
The new financing reduces the interest rate from around 8% to a range of 5.5% to 6.5%. As a result, annual interest payments are expected to be reduced by up to 100 million euros.
“With this important step, we have established a strong financial foundation for the coming years,” said Mark Langer, CFO of the DOUGLAS Group. “At the same time, we are in a position to make investments from our cashflow into our successful business model and future growth. It is our firm goal to further reduce our debt and to start paying dividends in the medium term. This is what we are consistently working towards.”
New financing of 1.6 billion euros
The new financing includes a term loan facility of 800 million euros (interest rate: EURIBOR + 2.75% initial margin) with a term of five years and a bridge facility of 450 million euros (interest rate: EURIBOR + 2.25% initial margin) with a term of twelve months, which can be extended twice by six months each without further approval of the banks. The DOUGLAS Group has further secured a revolving credit facility (RCF) of 350 million euros, of which 50 million euros had been drawn today. With today’s refinancing, the company fully redeemed senior secured notes in a nominal amount of 1.305 billion euros and senior unsecured notes in a nominal amount of approx. 567 million euros and continues its path towards debt reduction: After 4.7x per 30.09.2023 and 4.0x per 31.12.2023, the leverage ratio is now at approx. 2.7x (calculated on adjusted EBITDA (LTM) and liquidity as of 31.12.2023).
The new financing was signed on 8 March 2024 and also includes a so-called “ESG Rendezvous-Clause” which allows to directly link the interest margin to specific sustainability KPIs. These will be defined between the syndicate banks and the DOUGLAS Group. The bank consortium consists of 15 banks, with UniCredit Bank GmbH acting as documentation agent.
Sales growth trend accelerated in the second quarter
The DOUGLAS Group accelerated its growth trajectory in the recently completed second quarter of the financial year 2023/24. Group sales (net) increased by 11.5% based on preliminary and unaudited figures. Total growth was backed by strong development in all areas and consistent performance of the omnichannel business model. While store sales improved by 12.0%, E‑Commerce sales also rose double-digit by 10.7%. All segments contributed positively to the overall sales increase and continued to grow vs. prior year in the first half of the financial year.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group, said: “After a very good start to the financial year during the Christmas period, we have followed up with another excellent quarter: The results for the first three months of the 2024 calendar year are an impressive demonstration of the attractiveness of our offering, our exceptional customer loyalty and the resilience of our omnichannel model. This also marks eleven consecutive quarters of total sales growth – a clear sign that we’re on the right track.”
The full financial figures for the second quarter and first half of the financial year will be published on 29 May 2024.
1 Leverage = net debt / adjusted EBITDA for the twelve-month period ended as of the reporting date
Cautionary Statement
This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, securities to any person in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Neither this announcement nor the publication in which it is contained is for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States of America, including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia (the “United States”). The information in this announcement does not contain or constitute an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in securities in DOUGLAS AG, Kirk Beauty SUN GmbH or Douglas GmbH in any jurisdiction. Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, subscribed, used, pledged, sold, resold, allotted, delivered or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States absent such registration, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act, in each case in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. There will be no public offer of the securities in the United States.
In member states of the European Economic Area (other than Germany), this announcement is only addressed to and directed at persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.
In the United Kingdom, this announcement is only addressed to and directed at persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and amendments thereto) as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) or (ii) are high net worth entities falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons being referred to as “relevant persons”). In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons and it should not be relied on by anyone other than a relevant person.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology, including words such as “intend”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “may”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “will” and other expressions which imply indications or predictions of future development or trends, and which are not based on historical facts. Forward-looking statements inherently involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties as they depend on future events and circumstances. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future results or developments and the actual outcome could differ materially from the forward-looking statements.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Stefanie Steiner
Director Investor Relations and M&A
Tel: +49 211 16847 8594
Mail: ir@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 22 March 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe’s number one omnichannel premium beauty destination1, today announced changes to its Supervisory Board. Following the successful IPO, two new Supervisory Board members, Pamela Knapp and Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou, have been appointed with effect from March 21, 2024. The two succeed Michael Hinderer and Fritz Schulenburg, who stepped down from the Supervisory Board as planned with the IPO.
Dr Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DOUGLAS Group, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Pamela Knapp and Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou as new members of the DOUGLAS Group's Supervisory Board. Both have many years of experience in leading roles and mandates for well-known international companies and will contribute their expertise to the DOUGLAS Group as a newly listed company. At the same time, on behalf of the Supervisory Board and the Management Board, I would like to thank Michael Hinderer and Fritz Schulenburg for their excellent and dedicated work. We wish them the very best for the future.”
Pamela Knapp is an experienced non-executive board member of different European companies and audit committee chair. Further, she is a commissioner on the Monopolies Commission, an independent expert committee advising the German government on competition policy, law, and regulation. Pamela Knapp is also a member of the board of directors of Dutch Signify N.V., a member of the Supervisory Board of German Lanxess AG and a member of the board of directors of French Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. Previous stations further include senior leadership roles at Siemens AG and market research company GfK SE.
With many years of experience in the field of leading global consumer goods businesses and beauty brands, Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou has been a non-executive member of the board of directors of the listed Brazilian cosmetics corporation Natura & Co Holdings S.A. since 2021. Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou has also been a non-executive board member of the listed U.S. medical technology companies, Pulmonx Corporation and Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. She has also been a member of the MIT Sloan board since 2012 and an advisor to the AI technology and ethics committee at MIT. Previously, she held senior leadership roles for Johnson & Johnson in seven countries and with Estée Lauder Companies in the US.
The Supervisory Board of the DOUGLAS Group continues to have twelve members and now consists of Dr Henning Kreke (Chairman), Ulrike Grabe (Vice-Chairperson), Dr Alexander Dibelius, Dr Daniel Pindur, Can Toygar, Pamela Knapp, Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou, Peter König, Petra Ringer, Ulrike Gaal, Stefanie Hübner and Vesna Mandalenakes.
1 Based on the DOUGLAS Group’s position across its five largest countries Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, and Poland taken together. Source: OC&C analysis (2023)
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Group sales (net) increased by 8.0% (reported) to around 1.56 billion euros (like-for-like, “lfl”: +7.5%) with continued omnichannel growth: store sales (net) up 6.7%, E-Com sales (net) up 10.7%
Profitability significantly increased: Adjusted EBITDA increased by 12.6% to 348.3 million euros with a higher adj. EBITDA margin of 22.4% (previous year: 21.5%); net income grew to 125.2 million euros (+10.6%, previous year: 113.2 million euros)
Free cash flow of 459.4 million euros (previous year: 402.3 million euros)
Net leverage ratio significantly improved to 4.0x (30 Sep. 2023: 4.7x)
Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group: “We had a very successful first quarter with strong results in both channels and grow profitably and organically.”
Düsseldorf, 15 February 2024 – The DOUGLAS Group, Europe's leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty, continued its profitable growth trajectory in the first quarter of its financial year 2023/24. Based on unaudited numbers, Group sales (net) increased by 8.0% to around 1.56 billion euros in the important period from October to December 2023 (Q1 2022/23: 1.44 billion euros). Actual Group sales (net) are slightly below the previous communicated +8.3% due to the discontinuation of the Spain restructuring adjustments and minor consolidation effects. Growth was driven by strong results of both channels: Store sales (net) increased by 6.7% (lfl: +6.0%) while E-Com sales (net) grew 10.7% year-on-year (lfl: +10.7%), both thus continuing the positive trend from previous quarters. This also marks the tenth consecutive quarter of Group sales (net) growth. All segments contributed positively to overall growth for both sales and earnings.
“The months from October to December are the most important sales period of the year for us”, said Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group. “The team has pulled off a strong start to our financial year: We are growing both top and bottom line, across all channels and regions compared to the previous year while also significantly improving our profitability. We clearly see our ‘Let it Bloom’ strategy bearing fruit. The results are well in line with our midterm guidance of a compound annual sales (net) growth rate of around 7% and encourage us to press ahead with our strategic initiatives.”
Further increased profitability and net income
Beyond the continued total sales (net) growth, the DOUGLAS Group also further increased its profitability and generated an adj. EBITDA of 348.3 million euros (Q1 2022/23: 309.4 million euros), an improvement of 12.6%. The corresponding adj. EBITDA margin was 22.4%, another step up compared to the 21.5% of the previous year.
Net income in the first quarter improved by 10.6% to 125.2 million euros (Q1 2022/23: 113.2 million euros). Free cash flow increased to 459.4 million euros. In the previous year, this figure amounted to 402.3 million euros, taking into account the money market instruments reported as current other financial assets. Accordingly, the DOUGLAS Group's net leverage ratio as of the reporting date (31 Dec. 2023) significantly improved further to 4.0x (30 Sep. 2023: 4.7x)1.
Strong E-Commerce momentum
The E-Com business recorded a particularly strong performance with an impressive double-digit sales (net) growth of 10.7%, resulting in the sixth consecutive quarter of E-Com growth. The online pure player segment Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty contributed with a strong increase in sales (net) of 26.0% compared to previous year’s quarter.
Overall E-Com growth in the first quarter, which includes important customer events like Singles’ Day, Beauty (Black) Friday, and Christmas, was driven in particular by a strong performance of the segments DACHNL (+11.6%), CEE (+20.2%), and the online beauty pure players Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty.
In line with the high E-Com demand, the DOUGLAS online shops received more than 20,000 delivery orders per hour across Europe at peak times during Black Friday. Bestsellers in the first quarter included Advent calendars, premium fragrances, and gift sets with fragrance or body care products.
Expansion and refurbishment of store network
As part of the “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” strategy, the DOUGLAS Group has launched a program to develop and expand its store network until the end of the financial year 2025/26. The DOUGLAS Group plans to open (net) more than 200 stores across Europe and more than 400 stores are set to be upgraded or refurbished. With this strategic initiative, the DOUGLAS Group aims to offer customers an even more appealing and contemporary shopping experience. The first quarter of the current financial year already saw a notable number of net 17 store openings.
Updated sustainability strategy with ambitious goals
The DOUGLAS Group has recently published its Sustainability Report for the financial year 2022/23, following the ambition to also be a leading beauty retailer in sustainability. The report includes an updated, more ambitious sustainability strategy in line with the overarching “Let it Bloom” strategy, thus expanding the previous approach of the 2020/21 financial year. The DOUGLAS Group’s sustainability strategy is based on three focus areas: People, Planet, and Products.
Overview Financial Results
Q1 FY 2023/24 | Q1 2022/23 | Q1 2023/24 | Change | Change |
Sales (net)* | €1,440.6m | €1,555.5m | +8.0% | +7.5% |
Stores* | €976.7m | €1,041.9m | +6.7% | +6.0% |
E-Commerce | €463.9m | €513.6m | +10.7% | +10.7% |
E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 32.2% | 33.0% | +0.8ppt |
|
Segment DACHNL | €638.5m | €688.0m | +7.8% | +7.2% |
Segment France | €325.1m | €335.3m | +3.1% | +2.8% |
Segment Southern Europe | €222.2m | €234.2m | +5.4% | +5.1% |
Segment CEE** | €190.8m | €225.6m | +18.3% | +15.8% |
| Segment Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty | €50.1m | €63.2m | +26.0% | +26.4% |
Adjusted EBITDA | €309.4m | €348.3m | +12.6% |
|
Net Income | €113.2m | €125.2m | +10.6% |
|
* As the restructuring in Spain has been successfully completed, the DOUGLAS Group will cease adjusting sales (net) going forward and inform on a reported basis.
** CEE = Central Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia)
1 Net financial debt position of €3.063m and LTM EBITDA of €765m.
The DOUGLAS Group, with its commercial brands DOUGLAS, NOCIBÉ, parfumdreams and Niche Beauty, is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The DOUGLAS Group is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, the DOUGLAS Group is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the DOUGLAS Group strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by the Group’s omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, the DOUGLAS Group generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 9 February, 2024 – Dr Dr h.c. Jörn Kreke, Honorary Chairman of the DOUGLAS Supervisory Board, has passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83. From 1969 to 2001, Jörn Kreke built DOUGLAS from a perfumery into a leading European beauty retailer, laying the foundation for the success story of today's DOUGLAS Group.
With his entrepreneurial vision and passion for retail and people, Jörn Kreke was one of the defining figures in the retail sector and one of Germany's leading business personalities.
“On behalf of the entire Kreke family, I would like to thank everyone for the great sympathy that has reached us in these hours,” said Dr Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DOUGLAS. “Working at DOUGLAS, together with the wonderful employees, was not just a job for my father, but a true and personal passion that brought joy to his life every day. The path to success that the company is on today filled him with great pride to the very end.”
“Our thoughts are with the Kreke family, to whom I express my deepest condolences on behalf of the entire company and all employees”, said Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group. “Jörn Kreke laid the foundations for the success of DOUGLAS decades ago. For this, he deserves our eternal gratitude. In him, we have lost an outstanding personality, an icon in the retail industry and a very special person.”
“Jörn Kreke has dedicated his life to DOUGLAS and its employees, and his entrepreneurial achievements and life's work will serve as an inspiration to future generations”, said Dr Daniel Pindur, Managing Partner at DOUGLAS’ main shareholder CVC Capital Partners. “He will always be closely associated with the DOUGLAS name and the company's success story.”
Jörn Kreke, born in 1940 in Cologne, began his professional career at Hussel Süßwaren-filialbetrieb AG in 1963 after completing his studies and doctorate in economics and marketing. At the age of 29, he became Chairman of the Management Board in 1969, making him the youngest CEO of a German stock corporation at the time.
Jörn Kreke was the driving force behind the entrance into the perfumery business. Hussel took over DOUGLAS in 1970, paving the way for the growth of the Group: Under his leadership, the very successful development was launched that has made the DOUGLAS Group the leading premium beauty provider in Europe today with more than 1,850 stores, around 18,000 employees and 4.1 billion euros in sales.
After more than three decades as CEO, Jörn Kreke handed over the operational management to his son Henning in 2001 and moved to the Supervisory Board as Chairman. He remained Honorary Chairman after his retirement in 2014.
DOUGLAS is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The company is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, DOUGLAS is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the company’s strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by DOUGLAS’ omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, DOUGLAS generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 1 February 2024 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty, has released its Sustainability report of the financial year 2022/23 with reference to the international standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The report includes an updated, more ambitious sustainability strategy expanding the previous approach of the 2020/21 financial year.
Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group and Chairman of the ESG Committee, said: “As Europe’s number one omnichannel premium beauty destination, we have the ambition to also be a leading beauty retailer in sustainability. We have made good progress on our sustainability journey, for instance in reducing our combined Scopes 1 and 2 emissions in the past years. We are committed to our ambitious goals to further reduce our carbon footprint and to promote sustainable practices.”
DOUGLAS’ sustainability strategy forms an integral part of the company’s “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” strategy, which is focused on accelerating growth through a targeted omnichannel business model and a strict focus on the customer. The ESG strategy is firmly anchored in the first strategy pillar ‘Be the #1 BEAUTY DESTINATION in all our markets’ and is based on three focus areas: People, Planet, and Products. The governance framework of DOUGLAS is the fundament to these central focus areas, with ESG integrated into management remuneration, showcasing the dedication to sustainable practices from top to bottom. The main components are:
The full Sustainability Report is available on the DOUGLAS website.
* Scopes 1 and 2 emissions are layers of greenhouse gas emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
DOUGLAS is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The company is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, DOUGLAS is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the company’s strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by DOUGLAS’ omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, DOUGLAS generated sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 15 January 2024 – DOUGLAS, Europe's leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty, continued its successful growth trajectory in the first quarter of its financial year 2023/24. Based on preliminary figures, group sales (net) increased by 8.3% to around 1.56 billion euros in the period from October to December 2023 (Q1 2022/23: 1.44 billion euros). This positive start to the financial year was due to the good results of both channels: store sales (net) recorded an increase of 7.1% (lfl: +6.0%), while the E-Com business grew by 10.7% year-on-year (lfl: +10.7%). This once again demonstrates the advantage of DOUGLAS’ omnichannel positioning and its ‘Let it Bloom’ strategy.
Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group, said: "I would like to thank all colleagues in the stores and behind our web-shops for their great job during this important quarter. Regardless the difficult economic circumstances, our customers are attracted by our comprehensive beauty offering and appreciate the broad omnichannel range of brands. Our peak season has been proven to be very successful. We are on track to achieve our ambition of 5 billion euros net sales in 2026."
The positive development in the first quarter of 2023/24 proves that DOUGLAS is on the right track. In the mid-term, DOUGLAS has the ambition to grow group sales (net) at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 7%. The company also aims to further achieve an adjusted EBITDA margin of around 18.5% with typical fluctuations year-over-year. Further information on the medium-term targets will be provided on the DOUGLAS’ Investor Relations homepage in due course.
The full quarterly results for Q1 2023/24 will be published on 22 February 2024.
DOUGLAS is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The company is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, DOUGLAS is the partner of choice for brands and offers a premium range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the company’s strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by DOUGLAS’ omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the financial year 2022/23, DOUGLAS generated sales of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 20 December 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s number one omnichannel premium beauty destination, completed its financial year 2022/23 with record results: with adj. sales (net) of 4.1 billion euros (FY 2021/22: 3.65 billion euros) between October 2022 and September 2023, DOUGLAS surpassed the threshold of 4 billion euros in sales (net) for the first time and grew by 12.1% compared to the previous financial year.
The Group cemented its omnichannel focus as both stores (+13.0%) and E-Commerce (+10.3%) contributed double-digit to this performance. At the same time, DOUGLAS achieved a Group adj. EBITDA of 725.9 million euros (FY 2021/22: 593.4 million euros), up 22.3% year-on-year and corresponding to an adj. EBITDA margin of 17.7%. For the first time since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, DOUGLAS reported a net profit as the net income significantly improved to 16.7 million euros from -313.8 million euros in the previous year. Free Cash Flow (FCF) increased to 480.6 million euros (FY 2021/22: 366.6 million euros).
“Our strong financial performance proves the strength of our well-positioned omnichannel business model and unique customer proposition", said DOUGLAS Group CEO Sander van der Laan. “We will continue to build on this success by consistently implementing our ‘Let it Bloom’ strategy with various initiatives already started this year. DOUGLAS is well on track to maintain its growth trajectory and achieve the Group sales target of 5 billion euros by 2026.”
Q4: Adj. sales (net) growth for nine consecutive quarters
DOUGLAS also closed the financial year with another successful quarter and grew adj. sales (net) from July to September by 9.1% to 883.0 million euros (Q4 2021/22: 809.7 million euros). The growth stems from good results across both channels: Store adj. sales (net) grew 9.6% (lfl: +8.6%) and E-Commerce sales were up 7.9% year-on-year (lfl: +12.0%), once again demonstrating the resilient omnichannel model. Total growth in the fourth quarter – which corresponds to an adj. sales (net) growth for nine consecutive quarters – was driven by positive results across all segments, with DACHNL (+9.2%) and CEE (+18.8%) developing particularly well.
From July to September, DOUGLAS achieved a Group adj. EBITDA of 136.7 million euros (Q4 2021/22: 109.4 million euros). This corresponds to an adj. EBITDA margin of 15.5% which is ahead of the previous financial year’s margin of 13.5%. Fourth quarter net income improved by 203.0 million euros to -28.2 million euros (Q4 2021/22: -231.2 million euros). Cash as of 30 September stood at 262.3 million euros (30.09.22: 245.3 million euros). As a result of the positive cash development and the strong increase in adj. EBITDA, DOUGLAS’ net leverage ratio improved further to 4.7 as of the reporting date.
DOUGLAS sets course for future growth
As DOUGLAS continues implementing its strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” to set the course for long-term future growth, the Group has made landmark decisions and achieved new milestones in the four key strategic pillars #1 Beauty Destination, Range of Brands, Omnichannel Experience and Efficient Operating Model. Business development is expected to be driven by several initiatives and fields of action, including:
Good start to financial year 2023/24
DOUGLAS started well into the new financial year 2023/24. The important pre-Christmas sales period with the retail highlights “Singles’ Day” and “Beauty Friday” / “Black Week” proved to be satisfactory both online and in the stationary business. In October 2023, DOUGLAS decided to pay the interests for its PIK notes in cash as a result of the continued positive liquidity development of the Group.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS*
| Q4 FY 2022/23 | Q4 2021/22 | Q4 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (lfl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted sales (net)** | €809.7m | €883.0m | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| Stores | €560.0m | €613.6m | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| E-Commerce | €248.2m | €267.8m | 7.9% | 12.0% |
| E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 30.7% | 30.3% | -0.4ppt | |
| Segment DACHNL | €375.8m | €410.4m | 9.2% | 8.3% |
| Segment France | €152.4m | €161.0m | 5.7% | 5.9% |
| Segment Southern Europe | €123.7m | €130.1m | 5.2% | 4.2% |
| Segment CEE*** | €107.3m | €127.5m | 18.8% | 16.1% |
| Segment Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty | €29.3m | €40.1m | 36.9% | 37.1% |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €109.4m | €136.7m | 25.0% | |
| Liquidity (30 September) | €245.3m | €262.3m | 6.9% | |
| Net Income | -€231.2m | -€28.2m | 87.8% |
| FY 2022/23 | FY 2021/22 | FY 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (lfl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted sales (net)** | €3,649.9m | €4,091.0m | 12.1% | 13.4% |
| Stores | €2,450.3m | €2,769.0 | 13.0% | 15.5% |
| E-Commerce | €1,199.1m | €1,322.4m | 10.3% | 9.2% |
| E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 32.9% | 32.3% | -0.6ppt | |
| Segment DACHNL | €1,638.8m | €1,871.9m | 14.2% | 14.6% |
| Segment France | €781.2m | €813.5m | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Segment Southern Europe | €588.4m | €622.7m | 5.8% | 13.5% |
| Segment CEE*** | €442.0m | €556.4m | 25.9% | 21.0% |
| Segment Parfumdreams/Niche Beauty | €146.8m | €171.6m | 16.9% | 17.3% |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €593.4m | €725.9m | 22.3% | |
| Liquidity (30 September) | €245.3m | €262.3m | 6.9% | |
| Net Income | -€313.8m | €16.7m | Pos. |
* Financial reporting in accordance with IFRS 16. All comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly.
** Adjusted for sales (net) of closure stores in Spain.
*** CEE = Central Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia)
DOUGLAS is the number one omnichannel premium beauty destination in Europe. The company is inspiring customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment online and in around 1,850 stores. With unparalleled size and access to customers, DOUGLAS is the partner of choice for brands and offers a selected range of selective and exclusive brands as well as own corporate brands. The assortment includes fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, accessories as well as beauty services. Strengthening its successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing superior customer experience is at the heart of the company’s strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”. The winning business model is underpinned by DOUGLAS’ omnichannel proposition, leading brands, and data capabilities. In the fiscal year 2022/23, DOUGLAS generated sales of 4.1 billion euros and employed around 18,000 people across Europe.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 14 December 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s number one omnichannel premium beauty destination, is taking the next steps in building its management team for future growth. Stefanie von Albert will assume the position of the Executive Vice President (EVP) Assortment & Purchasing of the Group as of 1 April 2024.
In her role, she will be responsible for the group-wide assortment and purchasing strategy. This includes the development of the core beauty categories, the partner program categories and the relationships with brand partners. Stefanie von Albert will report to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sander van der Laan.
“Offering the most relevant and distinctive range of brands is one of the key pillars of our omnichannel strategy ‘Let it Bloom’”, said Sander van der Laan. “Assortment & Purchasing plays a decisive role in the successful execution of our strategy. Thus, we are very happy to get Stefanie on board. She brings a wealth of experience and possesses an extensive knowledge of the premium beauty industry including the development of categories and brands in an omnichannel environment.”
Stefanie von Albert has been in the beauty industry for more than 20 years, the majority of which has been with L'Oréal. She most recently had the role of General Manager ECommerce of L'Oréal France. Beforehand, she was General Manager Europe for the brands Kiehl’s and Urban Decay within the L'Oréal Luxe division. Prior to that she was General Manager EMEA Travel Retail and Marketing Director Europe Armani Beauty.
48 years old Stefanie von Albert is of German nationality and spent most of her business life in France. Apart from her professional core tasks, she is a certified business coach, a member of “Generation CEO” - a network of female leaders in business – and a strategic start-up consultant.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf / Lille, 16.11.2023 – As of November 20, Nicolas Debray will become the new CEO of the French beauty retailer NOCIBÉ, a subsidiary of Europe’s leading omnichannel premium beauty destination DOUGLAS Group. Nicolas Debray started his career in the beauty industry in France at L’Oréal Luxe more than 25 years ago and since then worked in different management positions for premium beauty brands and in beauty retail.
“With Nicolas Debray, NOCIBÉ gets a CEO with a long-lasting expertise in the beauty business and a general manager with experience in omnichannel retail, the marketing of premium beauty as well as strategic brand positioning”, said Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group. “Thus, we found the perfect person for the demanding French market. I wish Nicolas Debray and the whole NOCIBÉ team all the best for the future of this great company and outstanding brand, I am sure that they will continue the successful path.”
Nicolas Debray most recently held the position as President Americas of The Body Shop, the beauty retail subsidiary of the Brazilian group Natura & Co. In this role, the 46-year old French national was responsible for implementing an omnichannel retail model in Northern and Latin America and for strengthening the brand positioning of The Body Shop including a strong sustainability track record. Beforehand, Nicolas Debray spent more than 20 years at French L’Oréal Group and was responsible, among other things, as Country Manager L’Oreal Luxe in Korea and Thailand as well as New Brands General Manager for the Chinese Market, where he led the expansion of top brands such as Kiehl’s, Biotherm and Helena Rubinstein. In the first phase of his career, Nicolas Debray worked as National Sales Manager, Marketing Manager and as Finance Controller at L’Oreal Luxe in Paris.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Anke Menkhorst, Senior Vice President DOUGLAS Group Marketing: „This year, we are bundling our three most important sales events - Singles Day, Beauty Friday and Christmas - in a 360-degree campaign. Because at DOUGLAS, we always want to interpret beauty in a new and more comprehensive way. Our feelings are an important part of our well-being and should be visible - that's what we want to encourage our customers to do with our campaign.“
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Head of Group Communications
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf/Hamm, 1 September 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination, is setting new standards in omnichannel logistics in cooperation with the supply-chain and E-Commerce service provider Arvato: Following a successful ramp-up phase, all of the around 400 DOUGLAS stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are now being supplied and all online orders are now being processed from the new state-of-the-art logistics centre located in the north western German city of Hamm. The Group’s cross-channel returns management for the three-country region is also being performed by the new centre. With the help of a design concept that employs high-performance automation technology and cloud-based IT solutions, the centre efficiently combines the various sales channels and country orders of DOUGLAS. The new omnichannel logistics centre will also serve as a blueprint for the Group’s future supply-chain organization and other locations as part of the strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”.
“Our cutting-edge logistics centre in Hamm is a great milestone in our omnichannel strategy. It will enable us to integrate our retail business and online shop in Germany, Austria and Switzerland even more closely,” said Sander van der Laan, CEO of DOUGLAS Group. “This will pay off in particular for our customers and suppliers as the Hamm centre will enable us to improve both our service and delivery times.”
Operating at its full utilization rate, the new centre can ship up to 114,000 packages daily to customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; the capacity can also be increased by up to 50 percent in all areas. In addition to state-of-the-art technology, fast delivery in the three-country region is further made possible by the very central location in the eastern section of Germany’s Ruhr region and direct access to a number of motorways. The new distribution centre, which comes equipped with advanced automation technology, is a lighthouse project for DOUGLAS and Arvato, and represents the next step in the two company’s long-time partnership. The logistics centre in Hamm built on a site measuring 38,000 square metres will also create up to 400 jobs.
The new centre has enabled DOUGLAS to triple its warehouse capacities – a deliberate and logical step in light of the very dynamic growth the company has generated in recent years. “We have carried out a future-focused concept in Hamm that will optimally support not only growth, but also the strategy of DOUGLAS,” said Julia Börs, President Consumer Products at Arvato, highlighting the importance of the project.
Earlier this year, DOUGLAS introduced its new strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” which focuses on four key pillars: #1 Beauty Destination, Range of Brands, Omnichannel Experience and Efficient Operating Model, all based on the DOUGLAS culture as a strong foundation. DOUGLAS is planning additional omnichannel centres across Europe as part of the strategy; the Group just recently announced plans for a new central logistics centre in Madrid, Spain.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 25 August 2023 – Isabell Hendrichs, Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer of the DOUGLAS Group, is going to leave the company upon mutual agreement. As of September 1st and until further notice, CEO Sander van der Laan will take the lead for the Group’s assortment and purchasing activities.
“I would like to sincerely thank Isabell Hendrichs for her outstanding contribution in the past years”, van der Laan said. “I wish her all the best for her future path.”
“We’re in an intensive international search for the position of the Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer”, van der Laan said. “As our assortment is at the absolute core of our customer proposition and future success, we are very thoroughly looking for the right profile and expertise for this position.”
Isabell Hendrichs started at DOUGLAS in 2019 as Executive Vice President and became Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer with the beginning of October 2021. In parallel she was Managing Director of the DOUGLAS International Purchasing entity and responsible for the operational purchasing in DACH. Under her leadership, the assortment of DOUGLAS has been significantly transformed by expanding and upgrading it internationally with a focus on premium and luxury. Isabell Hendrichs also remarkably strengthened the attractiveness of the DOUGLAS offer by various exclusive and celebrity brands and held excellent relationships with the DOUGLAS suppliers. The DOUGLAS Group thanks her for her commitment and excellent results for the company.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: 0211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 24 August 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination, continued its growth path and increased sales and profits also in the third quarter (April – June) of the fiscal year 2022/23. Both stores and E-Commerce contributed to the Group’s growth, underpinning DOUGLAS’ omnichannel focus.
DOUGLAS grew adj. sales (net) from April to June by 9.7% to 910.4 (829.7) million euros. Store adj. sales (net) grew by 12.1% (lfl: +10.7%), with E-Commerce sales (net) also up 5.2% year-on-year (lfl: +8.5%). The digital business, which accounted for 31.9% of total Group sales, recorded continued sales growth in the core beauty area. Total growth from April to June 2023 was driven by all segments. The segments Southern Europe (+13.7%) and Central Eastern Europe (+16.9%) showed the strongest growth rates.
“Our third quarter results underline once again DOUGLAS’ resilience and strong market position, especially as we entered a phase of a slowing down inflation and a steadily improving product availability”, said Sander van der Laan. “Even though uncertainties for our customers persist, we have been able to grow across all segments, channels and categories and to improve profitability at the same time.”
Strengthened profitability and liquidity position
In the third quarter, DOUGLAS achieved a Group adj. EBITDA of 154.3 (137.9) million euros. This corresponds to an adj. EBITDA margin of 16.9% which is ahead of the previous year’s margin of 16.6%.
Third quarter net income improved by 25.3 million euros or nearly 50% to -26.1 (-51.4) million euros. In line with the usual seasonal fluctuations, net liquidity stood at 239.4 (270.8) million euros.
Nine months performance very strong
For the full first nine months of the fiscal year, DOUGLAS achieved adj. sales (net) of 3,208 (2,840) million euros and a Group adj. EBITDA of 589.2 (490.8) million euros, corresponding to an adj. EBITDA margin of 18.4% (17.3%). Net income after nine months stood at 44.9 million euros, a positive swing of more than 120 million euros compared to the previous year.
Implementation of “Let it Bloom” strategy well on track
Earlier this year, DOUGLAS introduced its new strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026” which focuses on four key pillars: #1 Beauty Destination, Range of Brands, Omnichannel Experience and Efficient Operating Model, all based on the DOUGLAS culture as a strong foundation. The Group is making good progress in implementing the strategy and translating the key objectives into specific measures and initiatives. Three groundbreaking decisions were made recently:
In addition, DOUGLAS continues to expand its footprint in Europe with today’s opening of its first store in Belgium, located in the Wijnegem shopping center near Antwerp. This step marks DOUGLAS’ stationary debut in the country following the online shop in 2021.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS*
| Q3 FY 2022/23 | Q3 2021/22 | Q3 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (lfl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted sales (net)** | €829.7m | €910.4m | 9.7% | 10.0% |
| Stores | €554.0m | €621.0m | 12.1% | 10.7% |
| E-Commerce | €276.1m | €290.5m | 5.2% | 8.5% |
| E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 33.3% | 31.9% | -1.4ppt | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €137.9m | €154.3m | 11.9% | |
| Liquidity (30 June) | €270.8m | €239.4m | -11.6% | |
| Net Income | -€51.4m | -€26.1m | 49.1% |
| 9M FY 2022/23 | 9M 2021/22 | 9M 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (lfl) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted sales (net)** | €2,840.2m | €3,207.9m | 12.9% | 14.3% |
| Stores | €1,890.3m | €2,155.5m | 14.0% | 17.4% |
| E-Commerce | €951.6m | €1,054.0m | 10.8% | 8.4% |
| E-Commerce % of sales (net) | 33.5% | 32.9% | -0.6ppt | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €490.8m | €589.2m | 20.1% | |
| Liquidity (30 June) | €270.8m | €239.4m | -11.6% | |
| Net Income | -€82.5m | €44.9m | Pos. |
* Financial reporting in accordance with IFRS 16. All comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly.
** Adjusted for sales (net) of closure stores in Spain.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a unique assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros with a focus on fragrances, make-up, skin care, hair care, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Duesseldorf / Wijnegem, 23.08.2023. DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination, continues to expand its footprint on the continent by opening its first store in Belgium. Located in the Wijnegem shopping center, chosen for its prime location near Antwerp, the new DOUGLAS store will open its doors to the public on 24 August, 2023. DOUGLAS has declared the targeted development of its store network an integral part of the company’s strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”.
“The first opening in Belgium underlines our strong commitment to invest in our stores and to strengthen the omnichannel offering across all of our markets”, said DOUGLAS Group CEO Sander van der Laan. With this step, Belgian customers now have access to both channels – a store as well as the Belgium DOUGLAS online shop www.douglas.be, which was launched in summer 2021.
“We are thrilled to finally welcome our customers to our first DOUGLAS store in Belgium,” said Willem Duthler, CEO DOUGLAS Belgium & Netherlands. “In this premium store, we offer an unparalleled beauty assortment as well as best-in-class expertise by our beauty advisors.”
The Wijnegem shopping center is characterized for its high foot traffic, excellent accessibility and for catering to a diverse customer base. With more than 250 stores, the mall provides an ideal setting for DOUGLAS to showcase its exclusive range of brands and services.
On a sales area of more than 450 square meters, customers can look forward to an extensive beauty assortment that combines classic brands with exclusives and the latest DOUGLAS corporate brands, while beauty enthusiasts will find a wide range of premium products.
To celebrate the grand opening weekend from 24 to 26 August, DOUGLAS has planned a series of exciting promotions. Customers who visit the store during this period will receive special treats such as goodie bags, make-up touch-ups or skincare advice, and can try a broad variety of fragrances in-store. DOUGLAS Beauty experts will also offer individual and professional beauty advice. In addition, exclusive brands will be showcasing their products on dedicated brand stages throughout the mall itself, and visitors can win shopping vouchers and other attractive prizes.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in perfume, decorative cosmetic, skin and hair care nutritional supplements, health care and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Head of Group Communications
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 20.06.2023. DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination, is expanding its top management: As of 1 June, international marketing expert Anke Menkhorst took over the responsibility as SVP for DOUGLAS Group Marketing. As part of the recently introduced CCO organization, Anke Menkhorst reports to DOUGLAS Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Philipp Andrée. In her new role she will focus on the key areas brand strategy and campaigns, store format design, social commerce, content production and brand activation, in order to further strengthen DOUGLAS as an omnichannel brand.
Anke Menkhorst brings a lot of experience in beauty, marketing and as regional CEO. She has worked in the beauty industry for the Japanese cosmetics group Kao for more than 16 years and over 11 years in marketing. Furthermore, she has worked nine years as General Manager and Managing Director for various European national subsidiaries of Kao. For the last six years, she served as CEO of ESL Language Education and built the company into Europe's leading language education agency.
"With Anke Menkhorst, we were able to win a very experienced and successful leader with many years of Beauty and Marketing experience and an international background as regional CEO of European country organizations," said DOUGLAS Group CCO Philipp Andrée. “She is the ideal person to further strengthen the DOUGLAS brand as Europe's leading beauty destination and to ensure a brand experience that is visible and consistent at all customer touchpoints across our countries.”
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in perfume, decorative cosmetic, skin and hair care nutritional supplements, health care and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Team Lead Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 30 May 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination, achieved strong sales growth and increased its profitability in the second quarter of the fiscal year 2022/23. Despite a continued challenging macroeconomic environment, both stores and E-Commerce contributed double-digit sales increases, underpinning DOUGLAS’ omnichannel focus as part of its strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”.
For the first half of the fiscal year, the company reported net sales of 2,297.5 million euros and an adjusted EBITDA of 435.0 million euros, both significantly higher than in the first half of the previous fiscal year 2021/2022.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of DOUGLAS Group, said: “As we look back on another successful quarter, it clearly shows that even in the current challenging environment of inflation and supply chain disruption, DOUGLAS’ business model proves to be resilient and well-positioned for the future. Not only do these results continue our positive trend, but our omnichannel model has also once again proven to be the right focus for us. With our new strategy ‘Let it Bloom’, we will take these strengths and build on them to further elevate our business.”
Strong sales growth across all channels
DOUGLAS significantly increased sales from January to March 2023 by 19.3% to 858.5 million euros, therefore growing its business for the eighth consecutive quarter. The company continued to attract customers with its unique omnichannel offering, wide product range and unrivalled beauty expertise. Alongside an increasing demand for expert advice and personal shopping, store sales grew by 19.5% (lfl: +24.5%), while E-Commerce sales also went up by 20.0% year-on-year (lfl: +12.1%). The E-Commerce business remained strong and accounted for more than one third of total Group sales. Online sales are particularly fueled by the DOUGLAS app which recorded significant growth of 27% in the second quarter and a strong uplift in both orders and monthly active users.
Growth from January to March 2023 was driven by positive developments across all categories and segments. The segments DACHNL (lfl: +23.1%) and Eastern Europe (lfl: +27.6%) showed the strongest growth rates compared to the prior-year quarter.
Improved profitability, strong liquidity position
DOUGLAS achieved a Group operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of 126.9 million euros in the second quarter, a 32.9% improvement year-on-year. At the same time, the corresponding adjusted EBITDA margin rose by 1.5 percentage points to 14.8%. Improved profitability was driven by a higher gross margin and ongoing cost discipline.
Higher interest rates due to rate hikes by the European Central Bank led to increased financial expenses. Further potential rate increases are hedged. Nevertheless, DOUGLAS improved the second quarter net income by 45.3% to -55.6 million euros. On a half-year basis, net profit amounted to +71.0 million euros compared to -31.1 million euros in the prior-year period. In line with the usual seasonal swings, net liquidity was at 238.2 million euros.
New strategy includes targeted investments in store network
As part of the recently introduced strategy “Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026”, DOUGLAS also strengthens its store network by increasing its investments which includes entering new markets: Since the beginning of this year, DOUGLAS has opened three stores in Ljubljana which marks the first step into the stationary business in Slovenia. The first store opening in Belgium is planned for the second half of 2023. In addition, further DOUGLAS stores opened in Portugal and Germany, with a Flagship Store in Düsseldorf specifically designed to attract a younger audience.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS*
| Q2 2021/22 | Q2 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (like-for-like) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales** | €719.3m | €858.5m | 19.3% | 19.9% |
| Sales Stores | €470.7m | €562.5m | 19.5% | 24.5% |
| Sales E-Commerce | €249.6m | €299.4m | 20.0% | 12.1% |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 34.7% | 34.9% | 0.2ppt | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €95.5m | €126.9m | 32.9% | |
| Liquidity (31 March) | €292.5m | €238.2m | -18.6% | |
| Net Income | -€101.8m | -€55.6m | 45.3% |
| H1 2021/22 | H1 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (like-for-like) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales** | €2,010.5m | €2,297.5m | 14.3% | 15.8% |
| Sales Stores | €1,336.3m | €1,536.5m | 15.0% | 19.9% |
| Sales E-Commerce | €675.5m | €763.5m | 13.0% | 8.3% |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 33.6% | 33.2% | -0.4ppt | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €352.9m | €435.0m | 23.3% | |
| Liquidity (31 March) | €292.5m | €238.2m | -18.6% | |
| Net Income | -€31.1m | €71.0m | Pos. |
* Financial reporting in accordance with IFRS 16. All comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly.
** Adjusted for Net Sales of closure stores in Spain.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,840 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in perfume, decorative cosmetic, skin and hair care, nutritional supplements, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 04.05.2023 - As part of the "Let it Bloom - DOUGLAS 2026" strategy, Europe's leading omnichannel beauty destination is optimizing its organization for more growth and customer orientation: the functions marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), E-Commerce, retail media and the entire IT will be bundled under the leadership of CDO Philipp Andrée, whose current position will be expanded to Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). The main aim is to form an effective organization that displays the holistic omnichannel brand experience for customers.
"For us, omnichannel means always to be present and accessible for our customers on all sales and communications channels," said van der Laan. "In this sense, we are closely connecting all relevant functions, reduce complexity and significantly accelerate important decision-making processes. With his broad expertise and experience in marketing and branding, omnichannel retail as well as digital transformation, Philipp Andrée is the ideal candidate for this task. In the future, he will be responsible not only for E-Commerce, but for the entire marketing and brand experience, the whole customer journey and all technological developments."
Due to the change of the operational structure and the associated elimination of the CMO position in the Executive Committee, Group CMO Caroline Schmitt decided to leave the company after 5 years, effective May 15. Caroline Schmitt took over the role as CMO of the DOUGLAS Group in January 2022 and successfully strengthened DOUGLAS leading position as an omnichannel retailer in a highly competitive market. In her previous position as SVP Marketing, E-Commerce and CRM of the DACH region, she played a major role in the transformation of the DOUGLAS brand by successfully developing all areas of the brand and customer experience. Caroline Schmitt was an integral part of implementing DOUGLAS’ brand strategy “#FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst”.
"I would like to thank Caroline Schmitt for her dedication, commitment and outstanding performance and contribution to DOUGLAS’ successful development and wish her all the best for her professional future," said van der Laan.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,800 stores. Strengthening our successful omnichannel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in perfume, decorative cosmetic, skin and hair care nutritional supplements, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
SVP Group Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 22 March 2023 - DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading beauty destination, unveiled its strategy program ‘Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026’ – well in time with the beginning of spring. The program includes a four-year growth plan for all of its business activities. By putting customers at the center of the business model and by finetuning every relevant operational and efficiency lever, the company aims to accelerate its growth trajectory.
DOUGLAS wants to grow sales, profits and cash-flow generation: until 2026, the company plans to increase the Group’s net sales to 5 billion euros (FY 2021/22:
3.65 billion euros) and its EBITDA accordingly. To enhance its customer journey, DOUGLAS wants to further develop its European footprint, E-Commerce offering, brand positioning as well as its range of brands on offer. Moreover, the company will further develop its retail media activities. In its day-to-day operations, DOUGLAS will improve efficiency with greater focus on costs, standardization and the supply chain and will develop its technological backbone.
CEO Sander van der Laan says: “We have seen a tremendous comeback of our stores after the pandemic and the era of lockdowns, while E-Commerce remains strong. Our leading omni-channel business model has proven very resilient and this is exactly what we will focus on. We strongly believe in the combination of a unique stationary offer with the passionate service from our around 16,000 Beauty Advisors and a convenient online shopping experience. Both based on an outstanding brand perception as well as an attractive range of product brands on offer.”
As part of the strategy program, DOUGLAS commits to targeted investments into its store network including modernization, expansion within existing markets and into new markets such as Belgium and Slovenia, as well as into further growth of the E-Commerce business, the online partner program and omni-channel integration. At the same time, the company envisages to increase profits and cash-flow generation with stricter cost management and efficiency improvements in all of its processes.
To explore and to realize saving potentials, the company has conducted a comprehensive in-depth analysis, carried out by several inhouse expert teams. “This is a bottom-up driven process. We are looking into each aspect of our business to unlock efficiency gains while strengthening our market position at the same time,” said van der Laan.
The strategy program ‘Let it Bloom – DOUGLAS 2026’ focuses on four strategic pillars with the DOUGLAS team as strong foundation:
Last, but not least, the foundation: Grow our CULTURE AND VALUES, lived by us: As DOUGLAS is poised to expand its leading role in the European beauty market, it will foster a performance culture supporting employees according to their individual strengths.
The overall results and top priority goals of this process are to improve the customer proposition and employee satisfaction of DOUGLAS and its entities Nocibé, Parfumdreams and Niche Beauty leading to an improvement of financial performance.
“We are deeply convinced, that this is the right path to accelerated growth and increased company value. We firmly believe that we have a unique company brand with outstanding people and a very successful business model. We will build on these virtues and further strengthen our market position,” said van der Laan.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading omni-channel beauty destination. We inspire customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, via a partner program and in around 1,800 stores. Strengthening our successful omni-channel positioning while consistently developing the customer experience is at the heart of our strategy. In its fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in perfume, decorative cosmetic, skin and hair care nutritional supplements, health care and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 664
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Dusseldorf, 16 March 2023 – The country organization Germany, Austria, Switzerland ("DACH") of DOUGLAS will have a new Chief Executive Officer: From 1 April 2023, Veit Weiland will take over the CEO role from Nicole Nitschke, who is leaving DOUGLAS by mutual agreement to pursue her career path outside the company. Weiland has over 30 years of retail experience and most recently held the position of Managing Director at Deichmann.
"We would like to thank Nicole Nitschke for her extremely valuable contribution to the positive development of DOUGLAS DACH and wish her all the very best in the future," said Sander van der Laan, CEO DOUGLAS Group. "Nicole Nitschke has safely guided the DACH region through the difficult Covid period, playing a key role in both the necessary transformation of the business and the successful comeback after Covid lockdowns. At the same time, we are delighted to have Veit Weiland on board as an exceptionally experienced and accomplished retail manager. We are convinced that Veit Weiland will continue to build on the successful course set by DOUGLAS in our largest market."
"For me, DOUGLAS stands in particular for the tireless commitment of thousands of beauty experts at the headquarters and, above all, in the stores. With all their enthusiasm, they make our customers' life a little more beautiful every day," said Nicole Nitschke. "I would like to express my sincere thanks to my entire team for their trusting cooperation and I wish everyone continued success and all the best."
During his career as a retail manager, incoming CEO Veit Weiland held various national and international positions at CEO and board level in the shoe fashion, optical and eyewear fashion and food retail segment. Prior to his role as International Managing Director of Deichmann SE with country responsibilities for Northeastern, Central and Southeastern Europe, Weiland served as Managing Director at Apollo Optik Holding for Germany and Austria as well as Chief Sales Officer International at Lidl Stiftung.
"Veit Weiland brings profound knowledge and extensive expertise in areas including sales, expansion and logistics, as well as many years of leadership experience," said van der Laan. "We are convinced that he and the DACH team will lead DOUGLAS into the next phase of growth. In particular, this will involve expanding our successful omnichannel strategy and continuing to develop both the store business and online retail in the interests of our customers."
"I am grateful for the trust placed in me," said Weiland. "At the same time, I am very much looking forward to the challenge of leading a successful team on the further expansion of the DOUGLAS brand in the DACH region and continuing this success story. Our customers are at the center of everything we do as a team, both in the stores and in E-commerce. This makes DOUGLAS the first choice for beauty in Germany and the entire region."
Nicole Nitschke had taken on the role of DOUGLAS CEO in Germany and Switzerland in 2019 and, after the successful turnaround in 2021, integrated the Swiss and Austrian entities into the current DACH organization. Prior to that, she held various senior international roles at Shiseido, Coty and Henkel, where she also led major transformation processes.
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty retailer in Europe. DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, the partner program and around 1,800 stores. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our Store experience and strong E-Commerce. In fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, February 17, 2023 – DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading premium beauty retailer, started the new fiscal year 2022/23 with strong growth in the first quarter.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of DOUGLAS Group, said: “Against the backdrop of the volatile market environment, DOUGLAS had an exceptionally strong Christmas quarter both in terms of sales and profits. Our omnichannel business model proved to be a differentiating factor and allowed us to attract customers and increase sales. When it comes to premium beauty, consumer behavior remained largely intact in an inflationary environment. Customers were won over by our attractive product range and the expert advice provided by our teams. While we remain cautious about the overall economic environment in the upcoming quarters, we will continue to further enhance our offering and strengthen our operating model.”
Sales growth across all channels
From its strong market position, DOUGLAS significantly increased its sales and earnings from October to December 2022. The company recorded strong growth in sales of 11.5% to 1.44 billion euros (lfl: +13.4%) and therefore continued to expand its business for the seventh consecutive quarter. The good results were driven by both stores and E-Commerce. While store sales rose significantly compared to the previous year
(lfl: +17.3%) as customer demand for expert advice and personal shopping continue to increase following the pandemic, E-Commerce growth continued to gather momentum from an already high level a year ago (lfl: +6.1%). The online business, which remains robust even in the current environment, thus once again represented nearly one third of overall Group sales.
Growth in the first quarter stems from solid performance across segments, all of which contributed positively to this improvement. The segments DACHNL and CEE in particular stood out and accounted for the largest share of sales growth in both channels. France and Southern Europe also developed positively with the latter performing well even in spite of substantial store closures in Spain.
Strengthened profitability and liquidity position
Group operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) rose by 19.7% to 308.1 million euros in the first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin also improved by 1.5 percentage points to 21.4%. The improved profitability resulted from the strong increase in sales combined with continued discipline in expenditures.
Together with lower financial expenses this led to a rise in net income of 79.3% to 126.7 million euros. Thanks to the successful first quarter, net liquidity reached 516.7 million euros.
From now on, DOUGLAS is reporting its results exclusively in accordance with IFRS 16; therefore, all results of the current fiscal year 2022/23 will be reported under IFRS 16 as well. In this context, all comparative reporting figures have been adjusted accordingly.
Growth across all product categories
Business performance in the first quarter of the financial year was underpinned in particular by the very successful and eventful months of November and December, including the respective sales highlights of Black Friday and Christmas. Notably, the strong development in the high-volume sales quarter from October to December was achieved against a background of persisting supply chain constraints.
Corresponding to the successful Christmas season, all product categories showed strong growth rates. Fragrance, the largest category, achieved a further increase in sales from an already high level. Momentum was even stronger in make-up, with lipstick sales up more than 50% compared to the previous year. Coinciding with Christmas, there was also a strong demand for Advent calendars such as the internationally launched DOUGLAS Exclusive Advent Calendar.
Hollywood Star Diane Kruger and actor Elyas M’Barek as new faces of DOUGLAS
DOUGLAS has recently introduced a new visual brand communication across Europe, both in its stores and online. The internationally renowned actors Diane Kruger and Elyas M'Barek replaced the previous Lindbergh photos as the new faces of DOUGLAS. The launch was marked by the international campaign "Beauty is ...", as Europe's leading platform for premium beauty wants to set an impulse for the individual interpretation of beauty.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS*
| Q1 2021/22 | Q1 2022/23 | Change (reported) | Change (like-for-like) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales** | €1,291.2m | €1,439.1m | +11.5% | +13.4% |
| Sales Stores | €866.0m | €973.3m | +12.4% | +17.3% |
| Sales E-Commerce | €426.1m | €463.9m | +8.9% | +6.1% |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 33.0% | 32.2% | -0.8ppt | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €257.4m | €308.1m | +19.7% | |
| Liquidity (31 December) | €465.0m | €516.7m | +11.1% | |
| Net Income | €70.7m | €126.7m | +79.3% |
* Financial reporting in accordance with IFRS 16. All comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly.
** Adjusted for Net Sales of closure stores in Spain.
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty retailer in Europe. DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, the partner program and around 1,800 stores. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our Store experience and strong E-Commerce. In fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, February 13, 2023. DOUGLAS is introducing a new visual identity across Europe, both in stores and online. The aesthetic yet emotional images by renowned Australian photographer Chris Colls, which feature international film stars such as Diane Kruger and Elyas M'Barek, replace Peter Lindbergh's motifs after five years. Starting signal is the new international campaign "Beauty is ...", which launches next Wednesday (February 15). Europe's leading platform for premium beauty wants to use the campaign to set an impulse for the individual interpretation of beauty. "For us beauty is subject to constant change. Based on the motto 'beautiful is who feels beautiful', the perception of beauty is individual and can change quickly,” says Caroline Schmitt, CMO DOUGLAS Group.
DOUGLAS has chosen four multi-faceted personalities who will embody “Beauty is …” and the company in the future: Hollywood star Diane Kruger, Austrian actor Elyas M'Barek and international models Ajok Madel and Alexandra Agoston. All four share not only an extraordinary charisma, but also an authentic, personal presence in front of the camera - and of course their very own understanding of beauty. "We wanted to develop a new and modern visual design that supports our brand identity in an aesthetic way. Through its visual intensity and closeness, it reflects the core of our new 'Beauty is ...' campaign and thus our brand philosophy," says Caroline Schmitt.
About the photographer Chris Colls
Photographer and creative director of the campaign Chris Colls stands for a clear, minimalist, and contemporary style of photography - whether in black and white or in reduced color - his works captivate with their timelessness. Colls consciously refrains from over-staged poses and creates effortless, natural, and authentic-looking images.
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty retailer in Europe. DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment in online stores, the partner program and around 1,800 stores,. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our Store experience and strong E-Commerce. In fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Team Lead Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: presse@douglas.de
Q4 2021/22 performance:
Full year 2021/22 performance:
Düsseldorf, December 20, 2022 - DOUGLAS, the leading premium beauty retailer in
Europe, increased its sales and earnings in the fourth quarter and thus also in the full fiscal year 2021/22. The Düsseldorf-based Group achieved growth in both Stores and E-Commerce. With total annual sales of around 3.65 billion euros, the company was up 17.0 percent on the previous year’s level and around 6 percent higher than in the pre-COVID period.
Sander van der Laan, CEO of DOUGLAS Group, said: “The positive sales performance in a difficult economic environment demonstrates how strongly DOUGLAS has been positioned in the past years with its omnichannel model. The combination of an attractive store business and an almost unique online offering has made the company more
resilient.”
Sales growth in six consecutive quarters
In the fourth quarter of the 2021/22 fiscal year (July to September 2022), DOUGLAS increased sales by 7.6 percent to 809.7 million euros (lfl: +10.2 percent). This marks the sixth consecutive quarter in which the company has expanded its business. At the same time, quarterly sales (lfl) were 20.6 percent above the pre-COVID level (2018/19). ECommerce sales (including the Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V.) increased by 16.7 percent to 247.2 million euros compared to the prior-year quarter. This means that the ECommerce share of total sales remains 30.5 percent (pre-COVID: 16.9 percent).
Quarterly Store sales rose by 3.0 percent year-on-year to 556.6 million euros
(lfl: +10.9 percent). All regions contributed to this increase on a like-for-like basis. Group operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) improved by 18.2 million euros to 45.8 million euros in the fourth quarter. The adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 5.7 percent (previous year: 3.7 percent). This was due in particular to cost effects from the completed Store Optimization Program (SOP) which involved adjustments to the store network and improved costs in- store operations. Net liquidity remained at the prior-year level.
Full-year sales up on previous year and pre-COVID level
With the increase of its total sales compared to the previous year and compared to pre-COVID levels, DOUGLAS underlined its position as the leading premium beauty retailer in both stores and E-Commerce. Store sales rose by 27.4 percent to around 2.44 billion euros (lfl: +40.9 percent). This was also due to the easing of pandemic restrictions during the fiscal year. E-Commerce generated annual sales of around 1.2 billion euros (including the Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V.), down slightly by minus 0.7 percent compared to previous year, when stores had been closed for months across Europe due to the pandemic. Compared with the period before COVID, online sales more than doubled.
Group operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) also saw a significant increase of 49.4 percent year-on-year to 325.5 million euros (previous year: 217.8 million euros), almost matching pre-COVID levels.
Group CFO Mark Langer said: “The results prove that we are on the right track. Our performance this year was also strengthened by the return of social life after COVID restrictions were eased. Less mask-wearing means more make-up and more lipsticks. And the strong mix of our store and online offer, unique shopping experiences, customer-focused marketing and exclusive offers such as Billie Eilish’s fragrance has been met with catch-up demand from customers.”
The net profit of minus 306.5 million euros for the fiscal year was impacted by one-off non-cash goodwill impairments of 231.9 million euros due to the significant rise in interest rates. Earnings were also impacted by the acquired online pharmacy Disapo B.V. as well as restructuring expenses for store closures, among other things. This was counteracted by a capitalization of deferred taxes, which led to a tax relief of 43.2 million euros.
Good start to new fiscal year 2022/23 – business environment remains challenging
DOUGLAS made a good start to the new 2022/23 fiscal year and thus the Christmas business. Strong sales days such as “Singles’ Day”, “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” already proved very satisfactory both online and in the stores. “This time of the year is the most important in our business,” said van der Laan. “We are at the climax of the Christmas season. I would like to thank all our colleagues for their great efforts and commitment to DOUGLAS and our customers. At the same time, the economic environment remains challenging: inflation, decreasing purchasing power of private households and supply chain disruptions will go on and could also have a noticeable impact on our business. Therefore, as well as expanding our omnichannel strategy and maintaining a strict customer orientation, we are keeping a strong focus on costs and cash management and thus on the earnings situation.”
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS
| Q4 2020/21 | Q4 2021/22 | Change (reported) | Change (like-for-like) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | €752.3 million | €809.7 million | +7.6 percent | +10.2 percent |
| Sales Stores | €540.3 million | €556.6 million | +3.0 percent | +10.9 percent |
| Sales E-Commerce | €211.8 million | €247.2 million | +16.7 percent | +8.4 percent |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 28.1 percent | 30.5 percent | +2.4 percentage pts | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €27.6 million | €45.8 million | +66.0 percent | |
| Liquidity (30 September) | €240.4 million | €245.3 million | +2.0 percent |
| FY 2020/21 | FY 2021/22 | Change (reported) | Change (like-for-like) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | €3.120 billion | €3.650 billion | +17.0 percent | +21.8 percent |
| Sales Stores | €1.915 billion | €2.440 billion | +27.4 percent | +40.9 percent |
| Sales E-Commerce | €1.204 billion | €1.196 billion | -0.7 percent | -4.0 percent |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 38.6 percent | 32.8 percent | -5.8 percentage pts | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €217.8 million | €325.5 million | +49.4 percent | |
| Liquidity (30 September) | -€345.1 million | -€306.5 million | +11.2 percent |
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty retailer in Europe. With around 300,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online stores, the partner program and around 1,800 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering an unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our Store experience and strong E-Commerce. In fiscal year 2021/22, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.65 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 9 November 2022. The winners of “BEAUTY FUTURES” – the DOUGLAS start-up challenge – were selected during the grand finale at the DOUGLAS headquarters in Düsseldorf: Three innovative start-ups overcame stiff competition from other applicants in the three categories “Beauty & Health Product Innovation”, “Beauty & Health Digital Solution” and “Sustainability Innovation”. The DOUGLAS competition gives young companies the chance to work with Europe’s leading premium beauty and health platform.
The award in the “Beauty & Health Product Innovation” category went to Berlin-based start-up Dr. Vivien Karl. The founders aim to strengthen the intimate well-being of women in different phases of life with natural, aesthetic and scientifically based intimate care products.
In the “Beauty & Health Digital Solution” category, the winner was FORMEL Skin, who combine virtual dermatology services with a full digital companion and physical high quality OTCH skincare products.
With their idea of waterless and sustainable skin care in reusable terracotta sculptures, Oquist Cosmetics convinced the jury in the third category “Sustainability Innovation”. The Swedish start-up has coined the term #skinterior and is the first in the world to store and sell skin care products this way.
In the fourth edition of the DOUGLAS start-up challenge more than 150 companies from 23 different countries submitted their innovative ideas and products, all keen to present them to the jury of experts. “Finding and promoting aspiring and promising start-ups is a win-win situation all round”, said Tina Müller, former DOUGLAS Group CEO and inventor of the start-up challenge. “The young entrepreneurs benefit from the expertise and reach of leading companies like DOUGLAS, who can support them to exploit their full potential. DOUGLAS in turn can keep up with all the latest developments, get a first look at innovative ideas, embrace new trends early on and actively drive innovation and transformation in the industry. I am impressed by the bold entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by our applicants.”
Chance to work with DOUGLAS
The winners now have the chance to collaborate with DOUGLAS and build on the company's multiple channels and around 50 million DOUGLAS Beauty Card holders to dramatically increase their brand awareness and visibility.
“The quality and variety of the submissions improve year on year and I am delighted to see so many from countries all over the world”, says Isabell Hendrichs, DOUGLAS Group Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer. “It is remarkable that nearly all the new products submitted consider clean beauty aspects. This is a very positive sign and confirms that sustainability continues to play a major role in the beauty industry.”
This year, for the first time, two special prizes were awarded: LĀNIN LABS won a listing at DOUGLAS Group company NICHE BEAUTY. In addition, dermanostic received a strategic branding and consulting package designed especially for young companies and start-ups by the agency Jung von Matt START.
“I very much look forward to working with dermanostic. Many young companies have great ideas but neither the people nor the experience to reflect this in their branding. Our experts will develop an individual branding strategy and design to bring the full potential to the fore”, explains Paul-Christian Brenndörfer, Strategic Lead Jung von Matt START.
Prestigious jury decides the winners
The winning entries were chosen in a multi-phase process: following initial review by an in-house DOUGLAS jury, a highly respected jury of both internal and external experts then deliberated over the shortlist. In this year’s jury are Tina Müller (former Group CEO and Member of the Supervisory Board at DOUGLAS ), Susanne Cornelius (CEO DOUGLAS Brands), Isabell Hendrichs (DOUGLAS Group Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer), Caroline Schmitt (CMO DOUGLAS Group), Philipp Westermeyer (founder OMR), Lea-Sophie Cramer (entrepreneur & angel investor), Tijen Onaran (entrepreneur, investor and author), Sara Nuru (co-founder of nuruCoffee & nuruWomen e.V.), Michael Schummert (CEO & founder M4Trinity), Janna Linke (presenter & podcast host), Paul-Christian Brenndörfer (Strategic Lead Jung von Matt START), Julia Krempin (editor-in-chief Business Punk) and Vanessa Stützle (CEO Luqom Group).
”It’s great that DOUGLAS sees itself as an enabler for start-ups. The beauty industry in particular is undergoing a major transformation, which offers an incredible opportunity for young entrepreneurs. The BEAUTY FUTURES shortlist featured a whole range of companies with impressive ideas. For me it comes down to the degree of innovation”, said Sara Nuru (co-founder of nuruCoffee & nuruWomen e.V.).
About the winners:
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering nearly 300,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 1,900 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong E-Commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Team Lead Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 2 November 2022. From January 2023, Philipp Andrée will be the new Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and member of the Board at DOUGLAS Group. Andrée is currently Member of the Executive Board for Digital & Marketing at the Hamburg-based retail and coffee company Tchibo. He has held various management positions in e-commerce, digital and marketing for almost ten years.
“As a proven and experienced online and marketing expert, Philipp Andrée is the ideal CDO to continue and develop the successful digital path of DOUGLAS,” said Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at DOUGLAS Group. “We are convinced that we are placing our e-commerce business, which is so crucial for DOUGLAS, in the right hands.”
Andrée has been with Tchibo for more than seven years and successfully grew the online business to a significant revenue driver. Under the leadership of the 40-year-old, the omnichannel-retailing has been strongly developed to integrate the in-store and digital business. In addition, he successfully re-organized and re-aligned the formerly fragmented marketing, modernized the brand and expanded digital marketing & CRM. He is also responsible for the business unit Mobile Communication & Travel at Tchibo. Previously, Andrée built up and later sold the online fashion platform Department47 and began his career as management consultant at McKinsey. After studying mechanical engineering, he gained a PhD in marketing.
“We very much look forward to working with Philipp Andrée on the Management Board of DOUGLAS,” said Sander van der Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group. “DOUGLAS has achieved huge growth in digital business in the past few years. We want to stay on this path and develop it further. I extend a warm welcome to Philipp on behalf of all the colleagues.”
Philipp Andrée will take over as CDO from Vanessa Stützle, who left the company at the end of August to take up the position of CEO at the LUQOM Group. Alongside the online shop and partner programme, Stützle was also responsible for the CRM programme at DOUGLAS and for setting up the Retail Media unit.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering nearly 300,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 1,900 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong E-Commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Corporate Communications, DOUGLAS
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 20.10.2022 DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading provider of premium beauty and health products, today announced a leadership change: Sander van der Laan (54) will become CEO of the company as of November 1, 2022. He will succeed Tina Müller (54), who decided to resign at her own request and will join the Supervisory Board after five successful years as CEO of DOUGLAS.
“I am delighted that we have won Sander van der Laan as CEO of DOUGLAS. He is an excellent manager with proven experience in the retail industry and a strong leadership personality. I would like to thank Tina Müller on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board for her outstanding contribution to the company's success and regret her departure," said Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DOUGLAS. "In the last years, she has redefined DOUGLAS' strategy and successfully driven the company's transformation into Europe's leading digital premium beauty platform. We are very pleased that we will continue to benefit from her expertise and experience as a member of the Supervisory Board.”
Alexander Dibelius, CEO Germany of CVC, the majority shareholder of DOUGLAS, said: “With Sander van der Laan, we welcome an experienced manager with an outstanding track record at renowned retailers and brand manufacturers. We are very much looking forward to joining forces. Tina Müller has laid an excellent foundation: She has geared DOUGLAS towards a modern and digital direction. At the same time, she has tripled e-commerce sales, achieved record sales and an excellent result this year after steering the company safely through the pandemic. We thank her for her outstanding commitment to the company and its employees.”
Tina Müller said: “It was my great pleasure to lead DOUGLAS into a new era together with an outstanding team, who has always put our customers first. I am truly proud that together we have created Europe's largest premium beauty and health platform. Now is the right time for me to take the next step. In the coming years, I want to set new and different impulses. I would like to express my gratitude to all DOUGLAS employees and brand partners for their support and great trust. In addition, I would also like to thank our customers for their fantastic support over the past years. I am delighted that Sander van der Laan, a recognized and experienced top manager, is taking over at DOUGLAS. I am certain that he will successfully lead the company and I wish him and all colleagues the very best.”
Sander van der Laan most recently steered the fortunes of Dutch non-food retailer Action as CEO for more than six years. Under his leadership, the company's sales increased from 2 to over 5 billion euros. He also played a key role in driving Action's international expansion in ten European countries, further developing the brand and product range and successfully establishing the company's digital interface. Prior to joining Action, he spent over 16 years in various management positions at the listed retail company Ahold Delhaize – most recently as CEO of the leading Dutch retail chain Albert Heijn. During this time, he was responsible for the transformation of Albert Heijn into a multi-channel brand and headed the company's expansion into new markets.
“Sander van der Laan has extensive management expertise in the retail sector combined with an outstanding track record in driving sales, marketing, supply chain management and digitalization. Within a few years, he significantly increased Action's sales and operating profit. This makes him an ideal candidate to lead DOUGLAS into the next phase. In particular, this will include optimizing backbone processes to match the e-commerce business, fully integrating the pharmacy portfolio, and further strengthening profitability,” said Kreke.
“DOUGLAS has undergone an extraordinary development in the last few years," said van der Laan. "I am looking forward to contributing my experience and continuing the company's success story together with an accomplished team.”
Since she was appointed CEO in November 2017, Tina Müller has successfully realigned DOUGLAS' strategy. In addition to the strong focus on e-commerce, she repositioned DOUGLAS with a successful brand relaunch and refined the shopping experience in the stores substantially. Most recently, Tina Müller restructured the European store network and laid the foundation for the company's expansion into the highly attractive growing online pharmacy market with the acquisition of the Dutch mail-order pharmacy Disapo.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering nearly 300,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 1,900 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong E-Commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Corporate Communications, DOUGLAS
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 23 August 2022. DOUGLAS, Europe's leading provider of premium beauty and health products, significantly increased its sales and operating result in the third quarter of fiscal year 2021/22 (April to June). DOUGLAS achieved noticeable growth compared to both the previous year and the quarter before the start of the pandemic. This means that the positive trend in the current fiscal year has continued: the store business, for example, achieved significant sales growth compared to the prior-year quarter, following the removal of the COVID restrictions, and is even above the pre-COVID level (+2 percent on a like-for-like basis). At the same time, the E-Commerce business has stabilized at a high level.
"The return to our stores is driving our growth and demonstrates the high demand for personal in-store advice," said Tina Müller, CEO DOUGLAS Group. "At the same time, we have managed to maintain online sales at a consistently high level. This successful combination of revitalized store business and strong E-Commerce speaks for our unique business model. In sum, this makes us stronger than before the pandemic."
Significant growth in sales
In the third quarter of 2021/22, Europe's leading premium beauty and health platform increased sales by around 30 percent to 830 million euros; on a like-for-like basis, the rise amounted to around 35 percent. Group sales on a like-for-like basis were thus 21 percent above the pre-COVID level.
Sales from E-Commerce (including Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V.) increased by 5.3 percent to 276 million euros compared to the prior-year quarter. This means that E-Commerce now accounts for more than 33% of total sales (pre-COVID: 17.3%). Overall, sales in the online business were twice as high (+110 percent) as before the outbreak of the pandemic.
In the Brick & Mortar business, sales rose by 47.5 percent compared with the previous year to 554 million euros, representing like-for-like growth of 66.5 percent. Customers' desire for personal advice and the return of social, leisure and evening events played a major part in these higher sales. The significant improvement in sales was driven in particular by the DACHNL region, where like-for-like sales doubled. In France and Central Eastern Europe, like-for-like store sales increased by more than 50 percent respectively.
Substantial improvement in profitability
Group operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) more than doubled in the third quarter, rising by 40 million euros to 64 million euros. The EBITDA margin increased to 7.7 percent (previous year: 3.7 percent). The improvement in profitability resulted from sales growth, savings from the Store Optimization Program (SOP) and ongoing consistent cost management.
In the first nine months of the fiscal year 2021/22 (October 2021 to June 2022), DOUGLAS increased sales by 20 percent to more than 2.8 billion euros, representing a like-for-like increase of 27 percent. The operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) improved by 45 percent to 280 million euros.
"The results of the past quarter prove that our #FORWARDBEAUTY strategy is taking hold. At the same time, it demonstrates the resilience of our business model, with two strong and closely integrated sales channels, in an increasingly challenging market environment," said Tina Müller. "Seeing this business development gives us encouragement to consistently pursue our strategic course, to drive forward core initiatives such as the expansion of the pharmacy range, and to strengthen our online offering and our stores with targeted modernizations and expansions."
Following the successful acquisition of Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V., DOUGLAS started the expansion of its pharmacy range in May. Around 11,000 non-prescription products have since been available in the German DOUGLAS online store via the partner program. This launch as part of the online partner program was accompanied by a broad advertising campaign in June, which focused on the advantages of having numerous pharmacy products easily available via the DOUGLAS platform. As part of the expansion of the pharmacy product range, DOUGLAS will be hosting its first Beauty + Health Summit at the beginning of September, where customers will be able to find out more about the latest innovations and trends. With this event, featuring numerous doctors as guest speakers, DOUGLAS is underpinning its expertise in the area of health.
Marking a further milestone in the expansion of its exclusive range of products and customer services, DOUGLAS will open its new luxury store with Beauty Suite on Düsseldorf's shopping boulevard Königsallee at the end of August. Customers at the store will enjoy a unique experience of shopping and personal in-store advice.
Within the product categories, fragrances and make-up in particular made significant sales gains in the past quarter, following increased demand from customers for skin and hair care products during the lockdowns. The launch of Billie Eilish's perfume was a notable success. The fragrance has been available exclusively from DOUGLAS throughout Europe since June and is already one of the strongest market launches of the past 12 months.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS
| Q3 2020/21 | Q3 2021/22 | Change | Change lfl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | € 644 million | € 830 million | +28.8 percent | +35.2 percent |
| Sales stores | € 376 million | € 554 million | +47.5 percent | +66.5 percent |
| Sales E-Commerce | € 262 million | € 276 million | +5.3 percent | -2.9 percent |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 40.7 percent | 33.4 percent | -7.3 percentage points | - |
| Adjusted EBITDA | € 24 million | € 64 million | +166.0 percent | - |
| Liquidity (30 June) | € 224 million | € 271 million | +21.2 percent | - |
| 9M 2020/21 | 9M 2021/22 | Change | Change lfl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | € 2,367 million | € 2,840 million | +20.0 percent | +27.1 percent |
| Sales stores | € 1,374 million | € 1,890 million | +37.6 percent | +54.1 percent |
| Sales E-Commerce | € 974 million | € 952 million | -2.3 percent | -4.5 percent |
| E-Commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 41.2 percent | 33.5 percent | -7.7 percentage points | - |
| Adjusted EBITDA | € 194 million | € 280 million | +44.5 percent | - |
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering nearly 300,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 1,900 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong E-Commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 9 August 2022. It’s time again for BEAUTY FUTURES –The DOUGLAS Start-up Challenge : DOUGLAS is hosting this popular competition for start-ups and companies in the extended beauty and health industry for the fourth consecutive year. DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading premium beauty & health platform, is searching for unique products or services in the categories Beauty & Health Product Innovation, Beauty & Health Digital Solution and Sustainability Innovation. Business founders and start-ups can enter the competition until September 19 by submitting a brief description of their idea, a pitch deck and a video on https://www.douglasbeautyfutures.com
Three new categories for this year’s competition
The category Beauty & Health Product Innovation focuses on new and innovative beauty and health products and applications that could aptly complement the DOUGLAS product range – in such areas as skincare, make-up, fragrance, hair care, nutritional supplements and health. The category Beauty & Health Digital Solution primarily targets apps and other smart digital solutions based on augmented reality or artificial intelligence that could be used to enhance the customer experience at DOUGLAS. The category Sustainability Innovation will honour a company or start-up that has developed futuristic solutions for increased sustainability along the entire supply chain. The category extends from sustainable product innovations or green ingredients to production, packaging and delivery.
“Our start-up competition BEAUTY FUTURES is now a permanent member of the DOUGLAS family and has been a complete success – I can’t wait to set off on our next search for trend-setting ideas,” said Tina Müller, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group. “We want to give a boost to innovations and new developments and be a driving force behind the evolution of the beauty and health market of the future. Promoting vibrant entrepreneurs is one of my personal passions.”
The highly respected jury will consist of external experts and members of the DOUGLAS management team. The external jurors will include the entrepreneur and Angel investor Lea-Sophie Cramer; Philipp Westermeyer, the founder of OMR the ESG expert and founder Sara Nuru and the entrepreneur, investor and author Tijen Onaran. DOUGLAS will be represented in the jury by Tina Müller along with Isabell Hendrichs, the Chief Assortment and Purchasing Officer of the DOUGLAS Group; Susanne Cornelius, the CEO of DOUGLAS Brands and Caroline Schmitt, the CMO of the DOUGLAS Group.
“Promoting innovative ideas – especially when it is done by established companies like DOUGLAS – creates a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs,” said Lea-Sophie Cramer, an entrepreneur and Angel investor. “This is why I am so excited about being part of the jury once again this year.”
The victorious ideas will win a chance to become part of DOUGLAS’ international product range and present their products to the more than 50 million customers who hold DOUGLAS Beauty Cards. They will have an opportunity to collaborate with DOUGLAS as part of the company’s online shop, stores and app. All finalists will also compete for an intensive branding package offered by the agency Jung von Matt START as part of a special prize. “When you start a business on your own, you face the challenging job of attracting the attention of a broad audience and bringing on board major investors,” said Philipp Westermeyer, the founder of OMR. “The DOUGLAS competition BEAUTY FUTURES serves as a perfect platform, showcases ideas and provides the momentum that innovations need to keep moving forward.”
The finals will be held on November 8 at the DOUGLAS headquarters in Düsseldorf.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering almost 200,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong e-commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Team Lead Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 (0) 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 13 July 2022. DOUGLAS, Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health, has launched a digital skin type analysis tool in collaboration with PERFECT CORP, the internationally operating company for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR). Customers can use the digital skin analysis tool via the DOUGLAS app to determine their skin type and additional skin properties by simply scanning their face with the smartphone camera. Other product preferences with regard to allergies and ingredients can be entered manually. The skin type determined, in combination with the level of hydration, oiliness and facial wrinkles, form the basis for specific product suggestions, which are precisely tailored to the customer`s skin type, individual preferences and needs.
The skin analysis is part of the likewise new DOUGLAS beauty profile, in which customers can save personal information and preferences. In the future, customers will be able to specify further preferences and use additional analysis tools. The benefit: even more individual product recommendations, care advice and inspiration.
“The digital skin analysis offers real added value for all DOUGLAS customers. Never before has it been so quick and easy to provide information about skin types and thus find the perfect individual facial care,” says Ingo Mommertz, Chief Technology Officer E-Commerce at DOUGLAS. “This tool will help us to achieve an even higher conversion rate in our app and also improve the user experience. At the same time, we expect that this form of skin analysis may lead to fewer bad buys and hence fewer product returns. The digital advisory service thus strengthens sustainability and will further support our customers` purchasing decisions.”
ABOUT PERFECT CORP:
Perfect Corp. is the leading SaaS AI and AR beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, dedicated to transforming shopping experiences through empowering brands to embrace the digital-first world. By partnering with the largest names in the industry, Perfect Corp.’s suite of enterprise solutions deliver synergistic, technology-driven experiences that facilitate sustainable, ultra-personalized and engaging shopping journeys, as well as equipping brands with next generation of consumer goods. Perfect Corp. offers a complementary suite of mobile apps, including YouCam Makeup and YouCam Perfect, to provide a consumer platform to virtually try-on new products, perform skin diagnoses, edit photos, and share experiences with the YouCam Community. To learn more, please visit PerfectCorp.com.
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty and health. Offering almost 200,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong e-commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Katalin Genius
Team Lead Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 6644
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 25 May 2022. DOUGLAS, Europe's leading premium beauty group, continued its growth course in the second quarter of the fiscal year 2021/22 and significantly increased sales and earnings. Both year-on-year and compared to the pre-COVID-19 quarter of 2019, the Düsseldorf-based company posted significant gains and won further market share in Germany. In particular, the brick & mortar business picked up noticeably following the relaxation of COVID restrictions in the months from January to March of this year, more than doubling sales year-on-year. As expected, some of the online business shifted back to the stores, but overall it remained at a very high level. "We are now seeing the ratios of online and store sales starting to rebalance after the end of the lockdowns," said Tina Müller, DOUGLAS Group CEO. "For example, we had e-commerce sales in the second quarter that were twice as high as in pre-COVID-19 times. It is pleasing that we were able to maintain this high level while also achieving disproportionately strong growth in our store business. This shows that our Beauty Platform-Strategy approach is proving to be the right business model."
Significant sales and earnings growth in the second quarter
In the second quarter of 2021/22, Europe's leading premium beauty group increased its sales by around 31 percent to 719 million euros; in like-for-like terms, the rise even amounted to around 39 percent. Group like-for-like sales were thus 12.0 percent higher than before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As expected, in the course of stores reopening, a certain amount of sales shifted back from online retail to brick & mortar business, although the level of e-commerce remained very high. Sales in the online business, which DOUGLAS has strategically expanded in recent years, thus amounted to 250 million euros (-14.3 percent vs. prior-year quarter), more than double the figure recorded in the pre-COVID-19 quarter of 2019. "We are satisfied with this sales performance while the profitability of the e-commerce business remains strong," said DOUGLAS Group CDO Vanessa Stützle, . "This demonstrates the strengths of our business model, that through our loyalty program we can target and serve customers in a personalized way, depending on their preferences in the channel of their choice. The rapid integration of Disapo already enables us to offer dermacosmetic and OTC products and will help us to further expand our leading position in the beauty and beauty-related health market."
In the store business, like-for-like sales increased by 117.3 percent year-on-year to 471 million euros following the reopenings. All regions contributed to the significant sales increase, in particular German-speaking Europe, France and Eastern Europe. DOUGLAS was also able to win back customers who had to migrate to other distribution channels such as drugstores during the COVID-related closures for certain product categories. In addition, it can be observed that customers who used the DOUGLAS online store during the lockdowns are now returning to the brick & mortar stores, thus remaining loyal to the brand. "This once again underlines the strength of our omnichannel business model as well as our brand: our customers remain in the DOUGLAS cosmos. This would not have been possible as a pure online retailer," said Tina Müller.
The Group operating result (adjusted EBITDA) rose in the second quarter by 26.5 million euros to 25 million euros, following a negative result in the prior-year quarter. In addition to the increase in sales, the improvement is attributable to consistent cost management and further savings from the “Store Optimization Program” (SOP). The EBITDA margin increased accordingly to 3.5 percent, in the entire first half of 2021/22, it amounted to 10.7 percent. The earnings contribution in the second quarter is seasonally lower than in the rest of the year; in addition, the Easter business in 2022 took place in the current third quarter.
In the entire first half of 2021/22, i.e. the months of October 2021 to March 2022 inclusive, DOUGLAS increased sales by 16.9 percent to approximately 2 billion euros, while operating earnings (adjusted EBITDA) improved by 27.3 percent to 216 million euros. "This development shows that we are on a very good path," said Tina Müller. "Nevertheless, it is unfortunately not yet possible to make a reliable forecast as to the ratio to which store and online sales will readjust in the long-term following the COVID restrictions."
In February, DOUGLAS announced its entry into the healthcare market through the planned acquisition of the Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V.. The transaction closing has since taken place. Since the end of April, DOUGLAS customers have been able to purchase dermacosmetics and over-the-counter products via the partner program in the online store. DOUGLAS plans to extend this offer to various European countries in the course of the year.
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS
| Q2 2020/21 | Q2 2021/22 | Change | Change lfl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | € 551 million | € 719 million | +30.7 percent | +39.0 percent |
| Sales stores | € 260 million | € 471 million | +81.3 percent | +117.3 percent |
| Sales e-commerce | € 291 million | € 250 million | -14.3 percent | -14.3 percent |
| E-commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 52.9 % | 34.7 % | -18.2 percentage points | - |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €-1.4 million | € 25 million | %pos. | - |
| Liquidity (31 March) | € 152 million | € 292 million | +92.2 percent | - |
| H1 2020/21 | H1 2021/22 | Change | Change lfl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | €1,723 million | € 2,015 million | +16.9 percent | +23.2 percent |
| Sales stores | € 998 million | € 1,336 million | +33.9 percent | +49.5 percent |
| Sales e-commerce | € 724 million | € 676 milliion | -6.7 percent | -6.7 percent |
| E-commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 42.0 percent | 33.5 percent | -8.5 percentage points | - |
| Adjusted EBITDA | € 169.7 million | € 216.0 million | +27.3 percent | - |
DOUGLAS is Europe’s leading platform for premium beauty. Offering almost 200,000 beauty, health and lifestyle products in online shops, the partner program and around 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The further development of our successful omnichannel positioning is at the heart of our #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy, under which we are consistently expanding both our strong e-commerce and store experience. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 22 March 2022. Vanessa Stützle, Chief Digital Officer and Member of the Management Board at DOUGLAS, will become the new CEO of LUQOM Group, the e-commerce platform for lighting fixtures, from September 2022. She will continue to perform all her current duties until she makes the switch.
“It is with great regret that we will not continue to share the same successful path with Vanessa Stützle; at the same time, I am happy for Vanessa about this important career step,” said Tina Müller, CEO of DOUGLAS Group. “With a wealth of digital expertise and a tremendous degree of commitment, Vanessa Stützle has played a key role in shaping the successful digitalization of DOUGLAS. On behalf of the entire DOUGLAS team, I would like to thank Vanessa very much for her exceptional work with us in recent years.”
Henning Kreke, Chairman of the DOUGLAS Supervisory Board, said: “We thank Vanessa Stützle for her outstanding contributions and wish her all the best for the next step in her career. With the successful expansion of online retail and the Partner Program, Vanessa Stützle has played a major role in ensuring that DOUGLAS is now Europe’s number one in e-commerce in the premium beauty market.”
Vanessa Stützle was appointed Chief Digital Officer and member of the management board in May 2020, with responsibility for E-Commerce and Partner Program, Omni-Channel, CRM, Retail Media Sales and Data Strategy. Prior to this, the graduate in Business Administration was responsible for the online business at DOUGLAS as Executive Vice President from January 2018, with the added responsibility of customer relationship management from July 2019.
“I have had a great time at DOUGLAS. Together with Tina Müller, the entire management and my teams, we have achieved a tremendous amount and realigned the company’s e-commerce activities. I am very grateful for this experience and for the superb teamwork,” said Vanessa Stützle.
Information about Vanessa Stützle’s successor as DOUGLAS Group CDO will be provided in due course.
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty group in Europe. Offering more than 160,000 beauty and lifestyle products in online shops, the beauty marketplace and around 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The continued expansion of the fast-growing e-commerce business is the focus of the #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy programme. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 17 February 2022. DOUGLAS reports a significant increase in sales and earnings for the first quarter of the 2021/22 fiscal year (Oct. to Dec. 2021). While the brick & mortar business has gained significant momentum, the e-commerce business has succeeded in slightly expanding the high sales level of the previous year. Compared with the pre-COVID-19 quarter (2019/20), e-commerce sales grew by 75.4 percent.
Europe's leading premium beauty group increased like-for-like sales by 16.8 percent to 1.3 billion euros in the first quarter. This is 10.9 percent higher than pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2019/20, like-for-like) sales. Like-for-like sales in the brick & mortar business increased by 27.8 percent to 866 million euros. In e-commerce, sales rose by 1.0 percent to 437 million euros. All regions contributed to the good business performance in the first quarter, particularly France and Southeastern Europe. The Spanish business alone remains challenging.
”The good results in the Christmas quarter, which is so important for us, impressively demonstrate the strength of our business model,” said Tina Müller, DOUGLAS Group CEO. ”The store business recorded a clear and noticeable recovery after the long lockdowns. At the same time, we succeeded in slightly expanding the high sales level in e-commerce. With the strategic acquisition of the online pharmacy disapo.de, we are tapping into new growth markets, thus positioning DOUGLAS as a one-stop-shopping platform for beauty and health in Europe.”
Group operating earnings (adjusted EBITDA) rose by 11.6 percent to 191 million euros in the first quarter. In addition to the increase in sales, this was due in particular to ongoing strict cost management and savings from the Store Optimization Program (SOP). At the same time, the EBITDA margin was a very good 14.6 percent, unchanged from the prior-year quarter.
E-commerce: attractiveness of the product range is convincing
Despite the reopening of stores, DOUGLAS succeeded in slightly increasing e-commerce sales from an already high level to 437 million euros. E-commerce as a percentage of Group sales was 33.5 percent. DOUGLAS also further improved the relevant key figures for e-commerce. For example, the average value per basket Group wide rose to 67.50 euros (compared to the prior-year quarter). The share of total e-commerce sales generated via mobile devices increased by 4.1 percentage points to 65.1 percent.
At the same time, DOUGLAS further expanded its strong market position in e-commerce during the past calendar year. The market share in Germany increased by 1 percentage point and in France by 1.6 percentage points.
“We are benefiting from the consistent digitalization of our business model in recent years,“ said Vanessa Stützle, Chief Digital Officer DOUGLAS Group. “We have further expanded our market share in key core countries over the last 12 months, delivering sales growth of over 75 percent in the Christmas quarter compared to before COVID-19. At the same time, we have once again increased efficiency in our online business. We will continue to develop our online offering and thus strengthen our leading role in the market.“
DOUGLAS taps into online health market
By acquiring the Dutch online pharmacy Disapo B.V., DOUGLAS is also tapping into a significant growth market and expanding its portfolio of health products. Based in Heerlen (NL), disapo.de Apotheke B.V. pharmacy is one of the fast-growing providers in the online pharmacy business. “The markets for beauty and health are increasingly converging, which we can clearly see in the wishes of our customers,“ said Tina Müller. In the course of the upcoming introduction of the e-prescriptions in Germany, the online pharmacy business is expected to witness huge growth. “With Disapo, we will systematically exploit the growth opportunities in the online health market. This will enable us to further expand our position as the leading beauty destination with a comprehensive range of health products.“
OVERVIEW FINANCIAL RESULTS
| Q1 2020/21 | Q1 2021/22 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group sales | €1.173 billion | €1.307 billion | +16.8 percent* |
| Sales stores | €739 million | €866 million | +27.8 percent * |
| Sales e-commerce | €433 million | €437 million | +1.0 percent |
| E-commerce as a percentage of Group sales | 36.9 percent | 33.5 percent | -3.4 percentage points |
| Adjusted EBITDA | €171 million | €191 million | +11.6 percent |
| Liquidity (31 December) | €324 million | €465 million | +44 percent |
* like-for-like
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty group in Europe. Offering more than 160,000 beauty and lifestyle products in online shops, the beauty marketplace and around 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The continued expansion of the fast-growing e-commerce business is the focus of the #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy program. In fiscal year 2020/21, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
Düsseldorf, 10 February 2022. With the acquisition of the Dutch online pharmacy Disapo, DOUGLAS is opening up an enormous growth area while also significantly expanding its health product portfolio. For Europe’s leading premium beauty platform, this move is one more step in its systematic digitalisation strategy. Based in Heerlen (NL), disapo.de Apotheke B.V. is among the high-growth providers in the online pharmacy business, currently with Germany and China as core markets. The company with around 200 employees recorded sales in the high double-digit million range in the 2021 financial year. By making this acquisition, DOUGLAS is strengthening two pillars of its growth strategy: the consistent digitalisation of its business model and the expansion of DOUGLAS Group’s offering to include healthcare products.
“The markets for beauty and health are increasingly converging, which we can clearly see in the wishes of our customers,” says DOUGLAS Group CEO Tina Müller. “We recognised this trend early on and began to continuously expand our assortment to include more health products. We will continue to build upon our leading role as a beauty and health platform in this segment. In the course of the upcoming introduction of e-prescriptions in Germany, the online pharmacy business is expected to witness huge growth. With Disapo, we will systematically exploit the growth opportunities in the online health market.”
DOUGLAS will connect Disapo to its own digital platform, thus offering millions of DOUGLAS customers access to the online pharmacy. The launch is planned for the first half of the year, initially in Germany with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, which will be offered, sold and shipped independently via the partner Disapo on the DOUGLAS marketplace. The options for ordering prescription medicines will be further expanded when so-called e-prescriptions are introduced nationwide in Germany in the course of the year.
“By offering over-the-counter medicines and other pharmacy products through Disapo, our marketplace will instantly reach millions of customers in Germany alone. We are thus systematically developing into a beauty and health platform,” says Vanessa Stützle, Chief Digital Officer of DOUGLAS Group. “We are planning a gradual expansion of the online pharmacy offering into our core European countries, thus entering a market with sales in 2020 in excess of 160 billion euros.”
DOUGLAS has already signed a purchase agreement with Disapo founder and CEO Sebastian Kraus. The acquisition remains subject to antitrust approval; the transaction closing is expected in the course of the spring. Sebastian Kraus will remain CEO of disapo.de Apotheke B.V. and will contribute his online retail expertise with pharmaceuticals and other pharmacy products to the partnership with DOUGLAS. “Over the past few years, we have put a great deal of passion and energy into making Disapo a high-performance online pharmacy,” says Kraus. “Now we are pooling our strengths with DOUGLAS to open up outstanding new growth prospects. I am very much looking forward to working with the DOUGLAS management team.”
The sales volume of the German pharmacy market in 2020 is estimated at around 60 billion euros; in the DOUGLAS core countries of France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Austria and the Netherlands, the volume was last estimated at more than 100 billion euros. Online retail accounted for around five percent of the total market in Germany in 2020. Disapo has a broad portfolio and was named “Trend Shop Rising Star of 2022” by Computerbild and Statista.
DOUGLAS is the leading premium beauty platform in Europe. Offering more than 160,000 beauty and lifestyle products in online shops, the beauty marketplace and over 2,000 stores, DOUGLAS inspires customers to live their own kind of beauty by offering a previously unparalleled assortment. The continued expansion of the fast-growing e-commerce business is the focus of the #FORWARDBEAUTY.DigitalFirst strategy programme. In fiscal year 2020/2021, DOUGLAS generated sales of 3.1 billion euros in the areas of perfumery, decorative cosmetics, skin and hair care as well as nutritional supplements, health and accessories.
Peter Wübben
Head of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Tel: +49 211 16847 8569
Mail: pr@douglas.de
