Dolce & Gabbana's Operating Loss Widens to 13 Mln Euros in 2023-24

The logo of fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Dolce & Gabbana's Operating Loss Widens to 13 Mln Euros in 2023-24

The logo of fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)

Dolce & Gabbana Holding posted a wider operating loss of 13 million euros ($14.4 million) in the fiscal year through March after stepping up investments in its shop network and its beauty division which it brought in house, a filing showed.

The operating loss was 1 million euros in the previous fiscal year, according to documents filed with the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

While requiring higher investments, the decision to internalize the cosmetics business, which Dolce & Gabbana took in 2022, boosted revenues, the document showed.

The holding, which controls the Italian fashion house founded by the designer duo Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, posted a 17% increase in revenues to 1.87 billion euros in the 12 months to March 31.

Sales in Europe, which represent 50% of the fashion and home division's sales, grew 6% year-on-year. Sales in the other main geographic areas declined, with the US market in particular down 13%.

Demand for luxury goods has been cooling globally after an exceptionally strong post-pandemic rebound, posing a major challenge to some brands as performances across the sector vary significantly.

Reuters reported in July that Dolce & Gabbana was likely to seek a minority investor in the near term, after CEO Alfonso Dolce told an Italian newspaper earlier that month that the fashion house could either do that or consider a stock market listing.



Birkin Bag Maker Hermes End of Year Sales Jump

A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Birkin Bag Maker Hermes End of Year Sales Jump

A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)

French luxury group Hermes reported an 18% rise in fourth quarter sales on Friday, showing robust appetite from wealthy shoppers for the most expensive luxury items like its Birkin bags, which cost upwards of $10,000.

Hermes continues to outshine rivals like LVMH and Kering-owned Gucci thanks to its wealthier customers as the industry suffers its slowest sales in years. Global luxury sales fell around 2% last year, hurt by a property crisis crimping spending in China and inflation-weary shoppers elsewhere.

"We are celebrating an excellent year, in a tougher environment," Axel Dumas, executive chairman, told journalists on a call.

Sales for the fourth quarter came to 3.96 billion euros ($4.14 billion), an 18% rise at constant exchange rates, accelerating in the important end of year period, with the fastest growth in the Americas and Japan.

The growth beat analyst expectations for a 10% rise, according to a Visible Alpha consensus cited by UBS.

The Hermes leather goods and saddlery division, which accounts for nearly half of group revenue, grew the fastest, up 21.5%. Analysts had expected a rise of 13%.

The double-digit growth at Hermes contrasts with LVMH's 1% rise over the last three months of the year.

Hermes also reported 9% growth in sales in the Asia region excluding Japan, the label's biggest market, despite the downturn in traffic in Greater China seen since the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Dumas added, however, that it was "too early to see an inflection" in the industry, despite some positive signs.

Hermes is known for its tight grip on production, sticking to an annual increase of around 6-7% a year, with order backlogs cushioning it from falling demand while holding up the label's exclusive aura.

Sales in the Americas region clocked 22.3% growth, matching growth in Japan.

Asked about the impact from potential US tariffs on European goods, Dumas said the company would not adjust its production.

"We are attached to keeping our production where it is," he said, citing France for leather goods, Switzerland for watches and Italy for shoes.

"We'll adapt to tariffs, and raise prices accordingly," he added.

The company is raising prices 6-7% this year to reflect higher production costs and exchange rates, Dumas added.