Luxury Figures

L’Oréal Accelerates Growth in Q3 2026, Driven by Luxury and Emerging Markets

By Eva Morletto23 octobre 2026

Driven by fragrance momentum and growth in several key markets, L’Oréal posted higher-than-expected growth in the third quarter of 2026. Its Luxury division reaffirmed its strategic contribution.

L'Oréal Group's third-quarter results point to a recovery in the Chinese market (Shutterstock)

Upon the release of the group’s quarterly results on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of the L’Oréal Group, highlighted the beauty industry’s ability “to demonstrate its resilience in a challenging environment.”

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Indeed, the world’s leading beauty company has once again confirmed this. According to the results released on Thursday, the company generated 11.56 billion euros in sales between July and September 2026, representing a 7.7% increase on a like-for-like basis, while financial analysts had forecast 5.9%. For the first nine months of the year, revenue reached 35.33 billion euros, marking a 6.9% increase.

The L’Oréal Luxe division, which accounts for more than one-third of the group’s sales, posted €4.18 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 7% compared to the same period last year. Fragrances remain the driving force behind this division, thanks in particular to the performance of Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, and Giorgio Armani.

Fragrances: Powerful Growth Drivers

The success of fragrances such as Prada Paradigme, Libre, and MYSLF by Yves Saint Laurent, as well as the promising debut of Valentino Vendetta, illustrate the strength of this portfolio. In the ultra-premium skincare segment, Helena Rubinstein is performing particularly well. The Medik8 brand and the Chinese brand Yue-Sai are also showing strong sales momentum.

Third-quarter results also point to a recovery in the Chinese market. North Asia grew by 7.8%, while travel retail returned to sustained growth.

Geographically, Europe recorded 8.9% growth, but growth was stronger in emerging markets. The region comprising South Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa posted 19.5% growth for the quarter.

L’Oréal is Ramping up its Initiatives

The group finalized its acquisition of a majority stake in the Indian company Innovist and announced, last September, a partnership with Nykaa, India’s beauty retail giant, with the aim of investing in promising local brands. Digital is also a booming sector for the French group: online sales grew by approximately 17%, while L’Oréal is increasingly using artificial intelligence to drive innovation and personalization.

Key Points:

- Growth Exceeds Expectations: L’Oréal posted sales of 11.56 billion euros in the third quarter of 2026, up 7.7% on a like-for-like basis.

- Luxury Driven by Fragrances: The L’Oréal Luxe division recorded quarterly revenue of 4.18 billion euros, up 7% year-over-year.

- Strong growth in emerging markets: The South Asia, Pacific, Middle East, and Africa region posted 19.5% growth for the quarter.

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