Weakening customer sentiment and slower market development: DOUGLAS AG adjusts 2024/25 forecast

Düsseldorf, 20 March 2025 – In light of a slowdown in the European premium beauty market – most notably in Germany and France – the DOUGLAS AG is adjusting its forecast for the current financial year. The already weak customer sentiment in the market has continued to deteriorate since February, leading to a decline in footfall in stores and traffic online. The company attributes the market development mainly to a growing uncertainty regarding macro-economic and geopolitical tensions, the economic and political situation in Germany and looming international trade conflicts which could harm key industries and burden the overall purchasing power in Europe.

Against this background, the Management Board of the DOUGLAS AG has just now adjusted the forecast for the financial year 2024/25:

• Net sales of around 4.5 billion euros (previously 4.7–4.8 billion euros)
• Adj. EBITDA margin of around 17% (previously adj. EBITDA of 855–885 million euros)
• Net income of around 175 million euros (previously 225–265 million euros)

The guidance on Net Working Capital (NWC) remains unchanged: On average, NWC is still expected to amount to less than 5% of Group sales at the end of the financial year.

The Company is also assessing the expected leverage ratio and its mid-term guidance and will inform about this on the occasion of the Q2 reporting on 15 May 2025.

The composition of Adj. EBITDA corresponds to the presentation on page 197 et seq. of the 2023/24 Annual Report of Douglas AG. This is available on the company's website.