U.S. is main growth driver as L’Oréal Q1 sales top estimates

NEW YORK — L’Oréal reported a strong start to 2026, with first-quarter sales reaching €12.15 billion (about $13.2 billion), as continued momentum in the United States and across North America helped fuel global growth.

Like-for-like sales rose 7.6%, with adjusted growth of 6.7%, outpacing the global beauty market and reinforcing the company’s strength across mass, prestige, and dermatological categories. North America delivered adjusted like-for-like growth of 7.6%, with the U.S. market benefiting from strong retail partnerships, product innovation, and omnichannel execution.

Performance in the U.S. was driven by strength across key categories, including haircare in both mass and professional channels, continued momentum for dermatological brands such as CeraVe and La Roche-Posay, accelerating fragrance demand in prestige retail, and a steady cadence of makeup launches. The company said its ability to align innovation with retailer strategies has helped it gain share in a competitive environment.

L’Oréal also highlighted its e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities as major differentiators, with global digital sales growing at a double-digit rate. In the U.S., that growth reflects deeper integration between online and in-store channels across mass, drug, and specialty retail partners.

Across divisions, North American trends mirrored broader consumer behavior. Consumer Products posted gains, led by accessible innovation, while Luxe accelerated, driven by fragrance demand and premium positioning. Dermatological Beauty continued to outperform, and Professional Products benefited from a recovery in the salon channel and ongoing premiumization.

Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, the company said it remains optimistic about the outlook, citing resilient demand and ongoing innovation. CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said the company continues to gain market share globally, particularly in its two largest markets, the U.S. and China.