The DOUGLAS Group, Europe's leading omnichannel premium beauty retailer, has revised its financial guidance for the 2025/26 fiscal year after third-quarter business performance fell short of expectations. The company now expects net sales growth of 0-1%, corresponding to a range of 4.58 to 4.63 billion euros, down from its previous forecast of “at the lower end of 4.65 - 4.80 billion euros.” Adjusted EBITDA margin is now projected at around 15.0%, compared to the earlier target of approximately 16.0%, and net leverage is expected to reach 3.0x to 3.5x by September 30, 2026, versus the prior outlook of “at the upper end of 2.5x to 3.0x.”
The guidance adjustment reflects ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties and a shift in consumer behavior. According to the company, customers remain highly price-sensitive, often delaying purchases in anticipation of promotions. The European premium beauty market is experiencing a pronounced channel shift, with e-commerce growing faster than physical stores and achieving solid profitability at the EBIT level, while like-for-like store sales have turned negative. However, cross-channel services such as Click-and-Collect are performing strongly. These dynamics have pressured both revenues and profitability across the group.
In response, the DOUGLAS Group is accelerating strategic measures to safeguard profitable growth. CEO Sander van der Laan stated: “Consumer behavior and market dynamics have changed significantly. In this challenging environment, we fully focus on our strategic priorities: we shift investments from our store to our online business; we are investing in competitive pricing, while further strengthening our differentiation and exclusivity; and we are continuing to drive digitalization forward.” He emphasized that some measures will yield short-term benefits, while others will take longer to materialize, and that the company is guided by a sustainable medium- to long-term approach.
The company’s updated strategy includes a reallocation of investments toward online operations, sharper differentiation and exclusivity in its product assortment, more competitive pricing, and accelerated digitalization. The DOUGLAS Group believes its leading omnichannel business model, strong brand, and partnerships with premium beauty suppliers provide a competitive edge. Van der Laan noted: “In the current market environment, both differentiation and pricing matter more than ever. Our omnichannel model, our curated premium assortment, an attractive pricing and our excellent brand name give us a clear competitive edge and we are executing on this with focus and discipline.”
The DOUGLAS Group plans to provide further details and an update on its strategic measures during its quarterly reporting on August 12, 2026. For more information, visit the original release on NewMediaWire.
