PRESS RELEASES

• Significant like-for-like sales growth of 16.8 percent in the first quarter (October to December 2021)
• Like-for-like growth of 10.9 percent compared with pre-COVID-19 quarter 
  (Q1 2019/20)
• Like-for-like sales in brick & mortar business up 27.8 percent year-on-year to 866 million euros in the first quarter
• E-commerce sales growth of 75.4 percent compared with pre-COVID-19 quarter (2019/20), continuing at high level vs. prior-year quarter with +1.0 percent
• Group operating result (adjusted EBITDA) improves by 11.6 percent to 191 million euros thanks to good sales performance and strict cost management
• DOUGLAS taps into high-growth health market with acquisition of online pharmacy Disapo B.V.
• Tina Müller, DOUGLAS Group CEO: “The good results in the Christmas quarter, which is so important for us, impressively demonstrate the strength of our business model.”

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

About the DOUGLAS Group

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.

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