Direct seller Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. started 2012 with positive sales. The company recently announced record first-quarter results with revenue of $462.0 million, a 17 percent improvement over the prior-year period. Revenue was positively impacted 1 percent from foreign currency fluctuations. Earnings per share for the quarter were $0.74, compared to $0.24 in the prior year, or $0.56 when excluding first quarter 2011 charges related to a Japan customs ruling.

“Following a record year, we continued to generate great momentum in the first quarter as a result of the positive response to our ageLOC product launches and healthy trends in each of our regions,” said Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer. “New product roll outs helped boost revenue trends in the Americas, North Asia and Europe, as reflected by strong executive distributor growth of 11 percent during the quarter.”

Emerging markets also performed well in the first quarter, Hunt reported. The Greater China region posted a 35 percent year-over-year increase, and the South Asia/Pacific region continued to build momentum in anticipation of the launch of new ageLOC products in the second quarter.

“We expect strong results to continue throughout 2012 as we move forward with the roll out of our ageLOC product line,” said Hunt. “Our Greater China region will begin taking orders for ageLOC R2 and the ageLOC Body Galvanic Spa in the first week in May, and in June we will host approximately 20,000 distributors at our Greater China regional convention in Hong Kong. The South Asia/Pacific region will host two separate events where they will launch the new ageLOC products. As we successfully execute our product launch strategy, we are also in a better position to drive strong executive and active distributor growth around the world. We are tracking ahead of our mid- and long-range goals as we continue innovating in our product categories and within our sales channel,” concluded Hunt.