10-Year Compass Guides Lauder to Gains

The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. 10-year compass — to put it mildly — is working. The internal trend prediction system has been a driving force behind one of Lauder’s best-ever years, helping guide the business toward growing categories like skin care and emerging markets. At a time when the U.S. beauty market has become shaky, the strategy has allowed Lauder to attain broad, diversified growth. Lauder grew net sales by 9 percent for fiscal 2019, to $14.86 billion. Net earnings were up, too, to $1.79 billion. Lauder’s stock price has increased more than 40 percent since the start of the year, and was trading in the mid $180s as of press time. “Our strategy based on multiple engines of growth continued to be a winning model,” said Lauder president and chief executive officer Fabrizio Freda. “Our focus on strategic priorities supercharged our sales. Some examples include the robust growth of skin care, which our 10-year compass forecasted; the broad-based successful growth of our global online business; globally, three of our four largest brands grew strongly, as did many of our small and mid-sized brands; the growing number of middle-class consumers in China and other emerging markets and our dedication to serving all consumers

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