Reporting on its 2011 fiscal year results, Beiersdorf announced sales increased by 2.1% compared with the previous year on a like-for-like basis. The company’s preliminary figures show nominal sales growth of 1.1% to €5,633 million (previous year: €5,571 million), and the operating result (EBIT), excluding special factors, amounted to approximately €646 million (previous year: €699 million), while the corresponding EBIT margin was 11.5% (previous year: 12.5%).
Beiersdorf’s consumer business segment’s sales increased organically by 1.1% to €4,696 million (previous year: €4,698 million). Performance in the global consumer markets differed substantially. Business in the UKand Russia was extremely positive, while sales in other European countries did not match prior-year levels due to the streamlining of the product range, among other things. The segment’s growth in Latin America was particularly strong. In the Africa/Asia/Australia region, sales were up only slightly on the previous year, due to the impact of the reorganization of business structures in China. Preliminary consumer EBIT, excluding special factors, was approximately €537 million (previous year: €599 million), corresponding to an EBIT margin of 11.4% (previous year: 12.7%).
“We realigned and strengthened our consumer business in 2011 by comprehensively streamlining our product assortment and thanks to the global marketing measures relating to the 100th anniversary of our Niva brand,” said Thomas-B. Quaas, chairman of the executive board of Beiersdorf AG. “Toward the end of the fiscal year, we took a second step in the form of fundamental decisions on the regional realignment of our consumer business that will improve our future profitability considerably. Optimally aligning our structures with the regions and markets will significantly increase our competitiveness in the future.”
