Sales & Earnings In Brief

L'Oreal Q3: Third-quarter cosmetics sales declined 0.3% to $5.9 bil. (€1=$1.48) on a reported basis, France-based L'Oreal announced in a Nov. 5 release. Consumer products cosmetics sales increased 3.2% to $3.01 bil. in the quarter on launches from Garnier and Maybelline, firm says. Luxury products revenues, which included Lancome and Yves Saint Laurent brands, were down 5.4% to $1.52 bil. L'Oreal's net sales, including cosmetics, dermatology and retailer The Body Shop, declined 0.7% to $6.3 bil. In North America, sales were up 3.2% to $1.48 bil. in the third quarter. "Although the market remains difficult, the return to cosmetics sales growth in the third quarter is very encouraging, and confirms the gradual improvement in sales we had announced," CEO Jean-Paul Argon says