Park brings over 20 years of industry experience to expand innovation and drive brand partner growth ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solésence, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLSN) a leader in scientifically-driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories, today announced that it has appointed Yoolie Park as Vice President of Brand Partnerships. In this role, Park will lead strategic relationships with emerging and established beauty brands, expanding Solésence’s ability to delive ...

Sincerely Yours is the first beauty brand sold at Sephora targeted to which demographic?Place your bets in the latest edition of Pointed, Bloomberg’s weekly news quiz for risk-takers ⤵️ https://t.co/OTmP234ilm ...

Price Target Adjustments - RBC Capital lowered its price target on Coty Inc. to $8 from $10 while maintaining an Outperform rating, citing an organic sales beat for the quarter and a transition period under new leadership [1] - Morgan Stanley reduced its price target to $3.50 from $4.25, keeping an Equal Weight rating, noting second-quarter results were slightly below target and expressing concern over third-quarter EBITDA guidance and the withdrawal of fiscal 2026 guidance [2] - Citi lowered its price target to $3 from $3.50 and maintained a Neutral rating, viewing the earnings report as mixed and highlighting uncertainty following the pulled fiscal 2026 outlook [2] Financial Performance - Coty reported second-quarter revenue of $1.68 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.66 billion [3] - The Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, Markus Strobel, acknowledged disappointing financial performance over the past year and a half, indicating that the current share price reflects this reality [3] Company Overview - Coty Inc. manufactures, markets, and sells branded beauty products globally through its Prestige and Consumer Beauty segments, offering fragrance, cosmetics, and skin and body care products [4]

Core Viewpoint - Coty Inc. has faced disappointing financial performance, leading to a price target cut by Canaccord Genuity from $3.50 to $2.50 while maintaining a Hold rating [1][2]. Financial Performance - Coty reported a 1% year-over-year increase in second-quarter fiscal 2026 sales, reaching $1.67 billion, which exceeded analyst expectations [2]. - The company experienced a net loss of $126.9 million, a significant decline from a net income of $20.4 million in the same quarter last year [2]. - Adjusted EPS improved to $0.14 from $0.11 a year ago, indicating some operational resilience despite overall losses [2]. Guidance and Future Outlook - Coty issued disappointing guidance, anticipating a mid-single-digit decline in like-for-like sales due to weakening trends in Consumer Beauty sales [3]. - The company has withdrawn its fiscal year 2026 adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow guidance, indicating uncertainty in future performance [3]. Strategic Initiatives - The company acknowledged its disappointing financial performance over the past year and a half, reflecting this in its current share price [4]. - Coty is conducting a portfolio review to identify opportunities for unlocking shareholder value, including the recent divestiture of its remaining stake in Wella at the end of CY25 [4]. Company Overview - Coty Inc. is one of the largest beauty companies globally, specializing in fragrances, color cosmetics, and skin and body care products, with a portfolio of over 40 brands sold in more than 130 countries [5].

Company Overview - Estée Lauder Companies (EL) is a global leader in prestige beauty, offering luxury skincare, makeup, fragrance, and haircare through over 20 iconic brands such as Estée Lauder, Clinique, La Mer, and MAC [1] - The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in New York, operating in more than 150 countries across various regions including North America, South America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia-Pacific [2] Stock Performance - EL stock has experienced volatility, dropping 12% over the past five days and 10% in the last month, but has rebounded by 14% over the past three months and 13% in six months; however, it is down 2% year-to-date [3] - Over the past 52 weeks, EL stock is up 49%, but currently trades 15% lower than its high of $121.64 [3][4] Financial Results - In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Estée Lauder reported revenue of approximately $4.23 billion, a 6% year-over-year increase, matching Wall Street forecasts [7] - Net income for the quarter was $162 million, or $0.44 per share, with adjusted EPS of $0.89, exceeding analyst estimates by 6% [7] - Gross margin improved slightly to 76.5% from 76.1%, and adjusted operating income rose to $608 million, reflecting a 14.4% margin, up 290 basis points [8] - First-half operating cash flow surged to $785 million from $387 million, aided by lower capital expenditures [8] Outlook - Estée Lauder raised its full-year fiscal 2026 outlook, projecting net sales growth of 3% to 5% year-over-year, tightened from the previous 2% to 5% range [9] - Adjusted organic net sales are expected to rise 1% to 3%, up from the prior 0% to 3% forecast, with adjusted EPS guidance improved to between $2.05 and $2.25, indicating a growth of 36% to 49% [9]

The CNBC Changemakers and Power Players podcast features candid conversations with leaders shaping business and culture. In this episode, CNBC's Julia Boorstin sits down with Cassandra Morales Thurswell, founder and CEO Kitsch. ...

Core Viewpoint - A recent survey by the Zhejiang Consumer Protection Committee indicates that over 70% of elderly consumers have made purchases on short video platforms based on claims of "curing diseases" [1] Group 1: Survey Findings - The survey involved 300 short videos related to various categories such as food, beauty, and daily necessities, with a focus on the elderly consumer group [1] - The investigation revealed significant issues with false advertising and discrepancies between advertised and actual products, with 80% of beauty products tested failing to show the claimed efficacy ingredients [2][12] Group 2: Issues Identified - **Misleading Health Claims**: Some ordinary and special dietary foods were promoted on short video platforms as having health benefits or disease treatment capabilities, such as claims of regulating blood pressure and cholesterol [3][5] - **Cosmetic Claims Mismatch**: Certain cosmetics exaggerated or falsely advertised their effects, such as anti-wrinkle and whitening properties, which were not supported by the actual product labels [6] - **Product Discrepancies**: Many products received did not match the brand, name, packaging, or ingredients as advertised, with some products having expired licenses [8] Group 3: Testing Results - Out of 15 batches of beauty products tested, 12 batches (80%) did not contain the efficacy ingredients listed on their labels, indicating either very low levels or no actual addition of these ingredients [12] - Specific examples include products purchased from various accounts that failed to show the advertised whitening ingredients like niacinamide and α-arbutin [12] Group 4: Platform Responses - Following the findings, the Zhejiang Consumer Protection Committee invited relevant platforms to discuss the issues, and all platforms reported taking action to remove or address problematic products [14] - Platforms are enhancing monitoring of short video content, standardizing product advertising, and increasing compliance awareness among merchants [14]

Group 1: Market Overview - The Stoxx 600 index in Europe is near record highs, having recorded its 7th positive week in eight, contrasting with the significant declines in U.S. tech stocks [1] - The S&P 500 has dropped nearly 30% from its peak in October 2025, while European stocks appear more resilient [2] Group 2: Corporate Earnings and M&A Activity - UniCredit is a significant player in European M&A, with minority stakes in Commerzbank and Alpha Bank yielding around 20% returns on investment [3] - Commerzbank's CEO indicated that a deal with UniCredit is "not sensible" due to the high valuation of the German bank [4] - L'Oreal is reporting earnings and may pursue acquisitions, having raised 3 billion euros for M&A financing, and recently increased its stake in Galderma [9] Group 3: Healthcare Sector Developments - AstraZeneca is focusing on the Chinese market for weight-loss drugs, while Philips aims to maintain a positive performance with new AI tools [7] - There are concerns following a sell-off in Novo Nordisk shares, which may impact investor sentiment towards AstraZeneca and Philips [7]

Core Insights - Coty is entering a "fresh chapter" under interim CEO Markus Strobel, focusing on realism, discipline, and improved execution after recent performance has not met expectations [4] - The company aims to restore sell-out momentum and tighten operational discipline, particularly in the Consumer Beauty segment [4] Group 1: Strategic Initiatives - Coty plans to rebalance spending towards consumer-facing working media, such as digital and influencer marketing, by freeing up funds from asset creation [1] - The company will streamline innovation bundles for fiscal 2026, focusing on fewer SKUs to avoid crowding out productive items and reduce trade returns [2] - A focus on "iconic assets" within key brands like COVERGIRL and Rimmel is expected to moderate declines in sales from "high single digits" to "low single digits" or "mid-single digits" [3] Group 2: Financial Performance - Q2 results showed a ~3% decline in like-for-like sales, with adjusted EBITDA down 15% to $330 million and a gross margin decrease of 260 basis points [6] - Management has withdrawn full fiscal 2026 guidance but provided Q3 targets of mid-single-digit like-for-like decline and $100–110 million EBITDA [6] Group 3: Operational Changes - The company is implementing a $750 million upfront divestiture of Wella and targeting ~$200 million in savings for FY26, alongside accelerated AI initiatives that could reduce digital asset post-production costs by 70–90% [5] - Management is focusing on improving operational discipline and platforming across brands, with expectations for margin improvement beginning in fiscal 2027 [9][10] Group 4: Market Strategy - Coty is investing in e-commerce and new channels like TikTok Shop while maintaining legacy channels, responding to shifts in consumer behavior [11] - Sales on Amazon have grown by over 30% in the last six months, with the launch of Marc Jacobs on Amazon contributing to double-digit growth [12] Group 5: Future Outlook - The company anticipates a mid-single-digit sales decline in fiscal Q3 due to Consumer Beauty headwinds and prior innovation complexity [16] - Management expects gross margin pressures to continue in Q3 but anticipates recovery in Q4 and ongoing improvements into fiscal 2027 [19]

Core Insights - Coty is undergoing a leadership transition with Markus Strobel appointed as interim CEO, emphasizing the need for significant improvements in the company's performance [1][2] - Despite having strong assets and competitive advantages, Coty's financial performance has been disappointing, leading to a new strategic plan called "Coty Curated" aimed at enhancing focus and execution [3][4] Financial Performance - For Q2 of fiscal year 2026, Coty reported net revenue of $1.7 billion, a 1% increase year-over-year, with prestige net revenue at $1.13 billion (up 2%) and consumer beauty net revenue at $545 million (down 2%) [5][6] - The company experienced a net loss of $126.9 million compared to a net income of $20.4 million in the previous year, although adjusted earnings per share improved to 14 cents from 11 cents [6] Strategic Initiatives - Coty is conducting a portfolio review to identify opportunities for unlocking shareholder value, particularly focusing on its mass color cosmetics business and operations in Brazil [4] - The company has withdrawn its previous fiscal year '26 guidance for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization due to market complexities and leadership changes, now providing guidance only for the third quarter [7]