Mainland China was the fastest-growing region for The Estée Lauder Companies (雅诗兰黛集团) in the three months to 30 September. Net sales there rose 15 percent to $614 million, the company said in its fiscal 2027 first-quarter results on 2 November, and the region’s operating margin climbed to 5.2 percent from 2.3 percent.
| Region | Jul–Sep 2026 | Jul–Sep 2025 | Reported change | Organic change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainland China | 614 | 532 | 15% | 9% |
| Asia/Pacific | 952 | 873 | 9% | 10% |
| The Americas | 1,227 | 1,174 | 5% | 4% |
| EUKEM | 923 | 901 | 2% | 4% |
| Subtotal | 3,716 | 3,480 | 7% | 6% |
Mainland China now accounts for a sixth of regional sales
Group net sales grew 7 percent to $3,715 million, or 6 percent on an organic basis. Every region grew, but none as quickly as mainland China on a reported basis. Stripping out currency translation, its growth was 9 percent.
On a simple calculation, mainland China contributed 16.5 percent of the $3,716 million regional subtotal, up from 15.3 percent a year earlier.
The company tied the increase to both new launches and existing products, including during key shopping moments. It said higher consumer-facing investment backed those activations, and that wider consumer reach lifted sales online and in bricks-and-mortar stores alike.
Unit: %
Reported net sales, Jul-Sep 2026 vs Jul-Sep 2025 · Source: The Estée Lauder Companies, 2 November 2026
View as table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mainland China | 15% |
| Asia/Pacific | 9% |
| The Americas | 5% |
| EUKEM | 2% |
Mainland China operating income rose to $32 million from $12 million
Higher sales drove the margin gain, the company said, partly offset by spending on product launches and key activations.
In mainland China the company also reported value share gains in makeup, skin care and fragrance, led by TOM FORD, The Ordinary, Le Labo and La Mer.
Airport and Hainan sales lifted Asia/Pacific profit by 73 percent
Travel retail sits in Asia/Pacific, which the company reports separately from the mainland. Sales at Beijing and Shanghai airports grew as replenishment orders picked up. Estée Lauder described this as continued stabilisation after duty-free retailers, and their related online businesses, changed from its fiscal 2026 second quarter.
Hainan travel retail also grew, mainly on better online sales. The company opened a Hainan Fulfillment Center in July 2026. Asia/Pacific operating income rose to $259 million from $150 million.
Fragrance grew fastest, with a Beijing scent among the launches
Across all markets, fragrance sales jumped 19 percent to $861 million. Le Labo’s contribution included Shiu 25, a new City Exclusive scent for Beijing. Skin care, the largest category, grew 5 percent to $1,651 million, while makeup edged up 2 percent to $1,048 million.
Unit: %
Reported net sales by category, all markets, Jul-Sep 2026 vs Jul-Sep 2025 · Source: The Estée Lauder Companies, 2 November 2026
View as table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fragrance | 19% |
| Skin care | 5% |
| Makeup | 2% |
| Hair care | -1% |
For what it called high-growth sub-categories in the East, the group introduced Estée Lauder Double Wear SkinFit Cushion and M·A·C Studio Radiance Serum-Powered Cushion Foundation.
Two days after the results, on 4 November, chief executive Stéphane de La Faverie and chief financial officer Akhil Shrivastava outlined the group’s fiscal 2030 targets at a Capital Markets Experience event in Shanghai. The company set an ambition of mid-single-digit organic sales growth a year through fiscal 2030, with an adjusted operating margin of 16.5–18.5 percent in that year.
