Estee Lauder's Longtime CFO Travis to Depart Next Year

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
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Estee Lauder's Longtime CFO Travis to Depart Next Year

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)

Estee Lauder said on Thursday that Tracey Travis would be stepping down and retiring from her 12-year role as the MAC lipstick maker's finance chief, effective June 30, 2025.

The company said a successor for Travis has been identified and will be named in the coming weeks. Travis will work closely with this person to ensure a smooth and successful transition, it added.

Travis, who has been Estee Lauder's CFO since Aug. 2012, had joined the company from Ralph Lauren, where she served as finance chief for over seven years.

Under her leadership, Estee Lauder has significantly strengthened financially, made extensive investments in innovation and digital transformation, and also made several acquisitions of companies including Tom Ford and Deciem, among others.

"Tracey has been instrumental in growing Estee Lauder from a $24 billion market cap company in 2012 to over $135 billion at peak," Jefferies analyst Ashley Helgans said in a note earlier on Thursday.

"A fresh set of eyes on the business could be beneficial given the recent volatility and would allow for the company to reset the growth algorithm," Helgans added.

The company had lowered its annual organic sales estimate in May on persistent softness in mainland China's prestige beauty space, even as a demand rebound for its pricey items in the US and Asia-Pacific markets drove a profit forecast raise.

Shares of Estee Lauder, which have dropped more than 30% this year, were marginally up in after-hours trading.



Adidas Says Q2 Underlying North America Sales Rise 

An Adidas sneaker is seen on display at the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. (Reuters)
An Adidas sneaker is seen on display at the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. (Reuters)
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Adidas Says Q2 Underlying North America Sales Rise 

An Adidas sneaker is seen on display at the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. (Reuters)
An Adidas sneaker is seen on display at the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. (Reuters)

Adidas said on Wednesday its second-quarter revenues in North America, excluding sales of the Yeezy line, increased from last year, driven by growth in both wholesale and its own retail.

Including Yeezy, the currency-neutral sales in North America - Adidas' second-biggest market behind Europe - fell by 8% to 1.3 billion euros ($1.51 billion) in the April to June period.

"The decline was solely related to the significantly smaller Yeezy business," the company said in a statement, without specifying how much the sales increased excluding the product line.

In a turnaround led by CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas has sought to clear remaining Yeezy stock after a bruising break-up with rapper Kanye West, who goes by Ye, while striving to boost its brand through its popular retro styles.

Its quarterly currency-neutral sales rose 19% in Europe to 1.9 billion euros, from 1.6 billion euros a year earlier.

Adidas had hiked its full-year guidance for the second time this year and reported preliminary second-quarter results above expectations in mid-July.