Beiersdorf outperforms skin care market: Breakthrough innovations fuel all-time high sales

• Group performance: Sales reach an all-time high of €9.9 billion (organic +6.5%), EBIT margin excluding special factors at 13.9%
• Consumer Business Segment: Main sales driver with high single-digit growth, achieving €8.2 billion in sales (organic +7.5%)
• Strong growth for NIVEA +9.0%, Derma +10.6%, Health Care +6.1% and Chantecaille +4.5%, slowing downward trend of La Prairie at –6.2%
• tesa Business Segment: Sales of €1.7 billion in a challenging market environment (organic +1.9%)
• Dividend Proposal: Constant at €1.00, share buyback program up to €500 million
• Group Guidance for 2025: Organic sales growth range of 4-6%, EBIT margin slightly above previous year’s level 
  

Hamburg, February 27, 2025 – Beiersdorf demonstrated remarkable growth in fiscal year 2024, achieving once more record sales and delivering strong results across its business segments. The Group’s sales reached an unprecedented €9.9 billion, with organic growth of 6.5%. Despite significant brand investments, the company’s operating result (EBIT, excluding special factors) increased to €1.4 billion, improving EBIT margin to 13.9% (2023: 13.4%). 

Vincent Warnery, CEO of Beiersdorf says: “For the second consecutive year, Beiersdorf is the best performing skin care company globally. We continued our exceptional development of the past years in 2024 and achieved another sales record even in a challenging market environment. Our strong 2024 results are another milestone for us on our way to becoming the best skin care company in the world. Beiersdorf is fully on track to generate further growth together with our exceptional international teams. We are focusing on our strong brands, delivering breakthrough innovations and expanding into new markets, categories, and channels. With the Group guidance for 2025, we believe we will outperform the market again this year.” 

The Executive Board and Supervisory Board of Beiersdorf propose that the dividend for the 2024 financial year is confirmed at € 1.00 per share. This proposal will be submitted to the Annual General Meeting on April 17, 2025. Following a successful share buyback program in 2024, Beiersdorf will initiate a further share buyback program, valued at up to €500 million. 

The Consumer Business segment remains the main sales driver and delivered a strong performance with €8.2 billion in sales (+7.5% organically). All regions contributed to the growth, with Europe growing +5.3%, Americas +7%, and Africa/Asia/Australia (A/A/A) +11.3%.

EBIT excluding special factors amounted to €1.1 billion, while the EBIT margin excluding special factors was 13.4% (2023: 12.9%). 

NIVEA saw excellent organic growth of 9.0% globally in 2024. Sales reached €5.6 billion. The brand’s strong growth across all major regions can be attributed to both increased volumes and successful pricing strategies. All key product categories experienced significant growth in 2024. Within the NIVEA portfolio, the LUMINOUS630 range with the patented anti-spot ingredient Thiamidol® achieved outstanding results with 34% organic growth. 

The Derma business continued its successful trend and delivered another impressive year in 2024, achieving double-digit organic sales growth of 10.6% and sales totaling €1.4 billion. The overall growth was largely driven by a series of strong innovations. Eucerin became the second billion euro brand in Beiersdorf’s Consumer portfolio in 2024 after NIVEA. Notably, the Eucerin Face category experienced substantial growth, fueled by the expanded Thiamidol® range in the anti-pigment segment. The launch of the new Epigenetic serum with the breakthrough anti-age innovation Epicelline® into the Eucerin product line in the second half of 2024 marked a special moment for Beiersdorf, as it became the largest product launch in Derma’s history. Key milestones also included the successful introduction of Eucerin Face in the United States and the Eucerin launch in India, a very promising market with immense growth potential in the skin care sector.

Health Care reported organic sales growth of 6.1%, reaching €282 million. The strong performance was driven by the core wound care category, with larger-sized plasters making a significant contribution to the overall success. These products saw double-digit net sales growth and successfully gained market share across all key markets. 

Beiersdorf’s luxury and selective brand La Prairie once again faced major challenges in 2024. The difficult macroeconomic conditions in China weighed on the sales performance of the premium brand. Although La Prairie recorded an organic decline in sales of 6.2%, this was significantly slower than the previous year. In contrast, Chantecaille was able to continuously improve its performance over the course of the year, with an organic sales growth of 4.5% driven by a successful expansion in Asia, including the launch in mainland China. 

In 2024, the tesa Business Segment achieved organic sales growth of 1.9% amid a very challenging global market and generated sales of €1.7 billion. The Industry division, serving industrial customers and trade, saw increased sales, with a particularly strong performance in the Electronics and Printing & Packaging sectors, both showing high single-digit growth. The Consumer division experienced a decline in sales compared to the prior year. tesa’s EBIT excluding special effects stood at €276 million, resulting in an EBIT margin of 16.3% (2023: 16.0%).

In 2024, Beiersdorf updated its strategy, further raising the bar for performance and growth. “As a pioneer in modern skin care, innovation is the heartbeat of Beiersdorf,” Vincent Warnery emphasizes. “We are leveraging our R&D capabilities as a growth engine to drive groundbreaking innovations. The formula is simple: Our successful active ingredients are integrated across Beiersdorf’s brands in both established markets and emerging growth regions, such as India, China, and the USA," Warnery explains.  

Beiersdorf is focusing on three key future areas of the skin care market: hyperpigmentation, ageing skin, and acne. Successes were already recorded in 2024: In the fourth quarter of 2024, Beiersdorf launched Eucerin in India, including Thiamidol®, the most effective ingredient in the field of hyperpigmentation. The company also received regulatory approval for Thiamidol® in China in November 2024 and plans to launch the products on the market by early 2026. 

Beiersdorf achieved a breakthrough in the anti-aging segment in 2024: with the launch of Eucerin Hyaluron-Filler Epigenetic Serum in September, the company presented its first epigenetic skin care product and strengthened its leading role in skin rejuvenation. After 15 years of research into epigenetics, the company is setting new standards with its “Age Clock” technology and the anti-age ingredient Epicelline®. “This groundbreaking product demonstrates how Beiersdorf is revolutionizing skincare. Epicelline® has immense potential, and we are moving fast to capitalize on it. As of today, our serum is available in 40 countries, exceeding our targets and solidifying our number one position in many markets. In Germany, the repurchase rate is about double the rate of the best-in-class competitive launches,“ Warnery underlines. 

Beiersdorf is advancing its climate action commitment and creating value for society with the goal of achieving Net Zero by 2045. This includes a 90% reduction in GHG emissions across its entire value chain (vs. 2018), validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and aligned with the Paris Agreement. By the end of 2024, the company has reduced emissions by 25.3% across Scopes 1, 2, and 3. Key to this progress is the transformation of its product portfolio, such as using 80% recycled aluminum for the NIVEA cream tin and re-engineering NIVEA Body Lotion with improved formulas and lighter packaging. A major milestone is the achievement of climate-neutral operations across Beiersdorf’s European production sites by early 2025. 

The Supervisory Board of Beiersdorf AG has extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Vincent Warnery, until the end of 2030. 

Vincent Warnery comments: “We are on the right track with our vision to be the best skin care company in the world. We have powerful innovations in our pipeline and market expansions ahead, but there is some way to go. I am delighted to have been given the mandate to continue leading Beiersdorf into the future and to bring our ambition to life.” 

Beiersdorf expects to achieve above-market sales growth in 2025. The global skin care market is expected to continue growing in 2025, although at a slower pace than in the prior year. Based on this, the company expects organic sales growth in the range of 4-6% in the Consumer Business Segment. The EBIT margin from ongoing operations (excluding special factors) in the Consumer Business Segment is expected to be 50 basis points above the previous year’s level. 

Beiersdorf expects sales growth above the market in the tesa Business Segment. Subject to market developments in 2025, specifically in the automotive sector, organic sales growth is expected in the range of 1-3%. The EBIT margin from ongoing operations (excluding special factors) is anticipated to be around 16%. 

Based on the forecasts of the two business segments, Beiersdorf expects Group organic sales growth in the range of 4-6%. The consolidated EBIT margin from ongoing operations (excluding special factors) is expected to be slightly above the previous year’s level.

_{¹ Figures comprise investments in intangible assets and property, plant, and equipment including acquisitions.}