Estée Lauder 2012 Q3 inches 4% to $2.25bn

American beauty products manufacturer Estée Lauder has posted a 4% rise in net sales to $2.25bn for the third quarter ending 31 March 2012, up from $2.17bn in the same quarter of the last year.

The net sales increased 5%, excluding the impact of foreign currency translation; while the profit for the quarter was $130.4m, up 5% from $124.7m from the same period of the previous year.

The fiscal 2012 Q3 results also include restructuring activities charges of $18.8m, as against the charges of $17.9m in the previous year.

Estée Lauder said that there was strong sales growth across all of its regions with increased advertising of brands such as Clinique, with higher marketing funded by cost saving made in other business and restructuring parts.

The firm also said that there was also growth in the skincare segment with increase in most channels across each region, thereby generating substantial gross margin improvements.

Estée Lauder President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda said that the third quarter results came slightly ahead of the forecast, with performance driven by focused investments in distinctive product innovations, supported by strong creative capabilities and elevated high-touch services.

The company said that it would continue to invest opportunistically in advertising and merchandising to further propel the business momentum and aim to achieve a double-digit local currency sales growth.