Beiersdorf AG has reported strong sales improvement for the third quarter of 2021. Organic Group sales grew by 12% to €5.8 billion ($6.7 billion) in the first nine months of the year (single Q3 organic growth of 4.3%) exceeding the pre-Covid level of 2019.
 
Beiersdorf succeeded in gaining significant market shares around the globe, especially in emerging markets such as Latin America. This development was driven by a strong focus on digital channels and successful product launches.
 
Beiersdorf also recorded strong e-commerce sales growth of 38% in the Consumer Business Segment across all brands and regions in the first nine months of the fiscal year.
 

Segments

The Consumer Business Segment recorded organic sales growth of +10.4% in the first nine months of the year (single Q3 organic growth of +4.1%). This development was largely driven by the strong performance of Beiersdorf’s dermatological brands Eucerin and Aquaphor, the strong recovery of our La Prairie business as well as by a good overall showing in emerging markets. 
 
The Nivea brand achieved +6.8% sales growth in organic sales in a year-on-year comparison. Main drivers of this performance were the outstanding performance of body and face care categories as well as strong recovery of the sun category. Furthermore, Beiersdorf saw a sequential recovery of shower and deodorant personal care products. On a regional basis, emerging markets and in particular Latin America contributed significantly. 
 
The dermatological brands Eucerin and Aquaphor continued their successful trajectory in the third quarter and finished the first nine months with organic sales growth of 20.8% significantly above 2019 levels. Once again, key markets such as the United States and Germany performed strongly, supported by the ongoing growth story in Latin America. Beiersdorf plans to step up this success by expanding Eucerin Sun to the United States in the coming year. 
 
The exclusive skin care brand La Prairie continues to deliver strong results way above 2019 levels in China. The overall 26.2% sales growth in the first nine months was mainly driven by a gradual but selective expansion of doors, ongoing strong online sales with the support of Tmall and superior growth in the domestic travel retail business around Hainan.
 
The Healthcare business, which mainly comprises the plaster business with the Hansaplast and Elastoplast brands, achieved strong sales growth of 14.4% over the first nine months.
 
Beiersdorf expects organic sales growth between 7-9% in the Consumer Business Segment for fiscal year 2021. The EBIT margin will be at the level of the previous year due to rising material prices and increasing investments in the markets, digitization and sustainability.