Gucci sales plunge 25% in the second quarter as woes persist at luxury giant Kering
Sales at the high-end fashion house dropped 15% year-on-year on a comparable basis to 3.7 billion euros ($4.27 billion), compared to the the 3.96 billion euros forecast by LSEG analysts.
Gucci sales, which typically make up nearly half of total group revenues, plunged 25% over the quarter to 1.46 billion euros.
Chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault acknowledged the results were disappointing, but noted ongoing efforts to course correct the struggling luxury giant.
"Though the numbers we are reporting remain well below our potential, we are certain that our comprehensive efforts of the past two years have set healthy foundations for the next stages in Kering's development," Pinault said in a statement accompanying the results.
"In an economic and geopolitical environment that remains uncertain, Kering continues to deploy its strategy with the aim of achieving a profitable long-term growth trajectory," the company added.
The group, which also owns the Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta brands, said sales were weaker were across all markets, led by Japan and the wider Asia Pacific.
"Kering is facing a tough reality as its two main luxury markets, China and the United States, are under strain," Yanmei Tang, analyst at Third Bridge, said in emailed comments shortly after the earnings release.
Kering's share price is currently down 8% year-to-date as investors have questioned the company's ability to turn itself around after several consecutive quarters of soft sales.
The appointment in June of auto veteran Luca de Meo as group CEO brought positive momentum, with his appointment set to take effect from Sept. 15.
"[De Meo] has a really strong track record in turning around businesses but also in branding," Carole Madjo, head of European luxury goods research at Barclays, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" last week.
The incoming CEO nevertheless has a tough task ahead of him, as the industry faces the prospect of new 15% tariffs on imports to the U.S. as well as broader concerns around consumer spending, particularly in the key Chinese market.
Still, analysts suggest the bigger challenge will be reviving the company's image and desirability, including under Gucci's new artistic director Demna Gvasalia, while simultaneously not alienating existing consumers.
Kering's deputy CEO and brand development lead, Francesca Bellettini, said Tuesday that a "first hint of [Denma's] vision for Gucci" would come in September, with full roll out of the collection due in January 2026.
"Product desirability is now a bigger problem for Kering than any tariff threat," Tang said. "Desirable brands like Hermès can nudge prices higher without hurting demand, but brands such as Saint Laurent and Gucci do not currently enjoy that level of pricing power."
"Bringing newness, something fresh which has not been seen before, is, I think, what could make Gucci great again," Madjo added.
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