L'Oreal Shares Down After Q3 Sales Disappoint 

Model Cindy Bruna presents a creation during a public show named "Walk Your Worth" organized by French cosmetics group L'Oreal near the Eiffel Tower as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, October 1, 2023. (Reuters)
Model Cindy Bruna presents a creation during a public show named "Walk Your Worth" organized by French cosmetics group L'Oreal near the Eiffel Tower as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, October 1, 2023. (Reuters)
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L'Oreal Shares Down After Q3 Sales Disappoint 

Model Cindy Bruna presents a creation during a public show named "Walk Your Worth" organized by French cosmetics group L'Oreal near the Eiffel Tower as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, October 1, 2023. (Reuters)
Model Cindy Bruna presents a creation during a public show named "Walk Your Worth" organized by French cosmetics group L'Oreal near the Eiffel Tower as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, October 1, 2023. (Reuters)

L’Oreal shares fell on Friday, sinking to their lowest level since March, after a larger-than-expected hit to its travel retail business in Asia and disappointing sales of its luxury division as inflation and a choppy economic environment curb high-end spending.

Shares were down 2.6% in early trading, the lowest performer on the Paris CAC-40 index.

A slowdown in the luxury division was most likely expected after LVMH’s perfume and cosmetics division slightly missed expectations last week, but 3.2% growth versus consensus expectations of 12.2% likely comes as a negative surprise to the market, Jefferies analysts said.

Analysts also pointed to a sharper-than-expected hit to business in Asia from tighter controls by the Chinese government of daigou resellers, who buy products at lower prices abroad and resell them at a discount in China.

Although weakness in North Asia because of travel retail issues and the luxury division was expected by investors, the scale of the miss "took us by surprise," analysts at Barclays said.



Nike’s Longtime Design and Innovation Chief John Hoke to Retire

A view of the Nike shoes worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images/AFP)
A view of the Nike shoes worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Nike’s Longtime Design and Innovation Chief John Hoke to Retire

A view of the Nike shoes worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images/AFP)
A view of the Nike shoes worn by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Getty Images/AFP)

Nike's chief innovation officer, John Hoke, is retiring, the world's largest sportswear company said on Thursday.

Hoke, who joined Nike in 1992, has served as the company's chief design officer before being named chief innovation officer in 2023.

Earlier this month, Nike CEO Elliott Hill, who took the helm in October to lead a turnaround, had made several changes to the senior leadership team, including promoting insider Phil McCartney to be the new chief innovation, design & product officer.

Nike, in March, forecast a steeper than expected drop in fourth-quarter revenue, signaling caution as it works to rekindle consumer interest.

Bloomberg News first reported Hoke's retirement earlier on Thursday.