Hermes Sales Rise 15.6%, Defying Luxury Downturn as US Posts Strong Growth

A model presents creations by designer Veronique Nichanian as part of her Menswear ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Hermes during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
A model presents creations by designer Veronique Nichanian as part of her Menswear ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Hermes during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Hermes Sales Rise 15.6%, Defying Luxury Downturn as US Posts Strong Growth

A model presents creations by designer Veronique Nichanian as part of her Menswear ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Hermes during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
A model presents creations by designer Veronique Nichanian as part of her Menswear ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Hermes during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Third quarter sales at Birkin bag maker Hermes rose briskly, up 15.6% year-on-year, with the pace of growth slowing only slightly in a show of resilience of its wealthy clientele in spite of economic headwinds.
Sales for the three months to the end of September stood at 3.37 billion euros ($3.60 billion), a 15.6% rise at constant exchange rates, beating a Visible Alpha consensus for 14% growth, with brisk sales in all regions, particularly in the United States, said Reuters.
Analysts have lowered their estimates for the luxury sector in recent weeks, following a sales report from bellwether LVMH earlier this month showing shoppers are splurging less on high end fashion as inflation and economic uncertainty rise.
But Hermes, which caters to shoppers who can afford handbags like the coveted $10,000 plus Birkin model, has a reputation of weathering economic turbulence better than rivals.



Gap's Turnaround Efforts Drive Quarterly Beat in Surprise Early Announcement

FILE PHOTO: The Gap logo is seen on the front of the company's store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, July 1, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Gap logo is seen on the front of the company's store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, July 1, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
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Gap's Turnaround Efforts Drive Quarterly Beat in Surprise Early Announcement

FILE PHOTO: The Gap logo is seen on the front of the company's store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, July 1, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Gap logo is seen on the front of the company's store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, July 1, 2021. REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo

Gap on Thursday surpassed Wall Street expectations for the second quarter, as a surprise early announcement of its results showed shoppers turned to its Old Navy and namesake brands to snap up trendy and fashionable clothing.
Shares of Gap closed up nearly 2% at $22.8. The stock was halted during the day following a Bloomberg News report that said the apparel retailer's earnings press release and presentation appeared on its website in the morning, hours earlier than scheduled.
A Gap spokesperson told Reuters that the company's results were briefly and accidentally posted on its website due to an administrative error. It was originally scheduled to release the numbers after the bell.
The Banana Republic owner is in the midst of a brand turnaround under CEO Richard Dickson and has been ramping up its stores with fresher and more chic styles to bring back lost customers.
Dickson on a post-earnings call said Gap's consumer base has broadened and the company is seeing more sell-throughs at full-price, resulting in less discounting.
People, who are otherwise saving dollars and curbing spending on big-ticket items, are more than willing to go all out and spend on in-trend footwear and clothing such as those from Abercrombie & Fitch, Roger Federer-backed On and Deckers Outdoor's Hoka.
"(Gap) is being managed better than it was ... it is not like all four brands are really completely healthy, but they are trending in the right direction under the new management," Morningstar analyst David Swartz said.
Comparable sales at Old Navy rose 5% during the quarter, while the Gap brand posted 3% growth. Banana Republic sales, however, were flat as the brand continues to focus on fixing the fundamentals and improve its pricing and assortment architecture.
Gap's second-quarter net sales rose 5% to $3.72 billion, beating LSEG estimates of $3.63 billion.
It earned 54 cents per share, also topping analysts' average estimate of 40 cents.
The apparel retailer reaffirmed its annual net sales forecast and expects gross margin to expand by about 200 basis points versus its prior forecast of at least a 150-basis-point increase.