Barbara Bui ends 2014 down 5.5%

Barbara Bui ended 2014 with numbers that were down, despite very positive results on the US market. At the time of the publication of its preliminary results, the Parisian brand announced a turnover of 31.4 million euros as compared with 33.2 million in 2013—down 5.5% (-3.6% on a comparable basis).

"The positive momentum of the US economy (+ 26%) almost offset the effects of a difficult geopolitical environment in some of the Eastern European countries and the economic slowdown in Asia," the group said in a statement, noting that North American operations now account for 20% of total sales as compared with 15% in 2013.

The decline came mostly from its retail business, which generated 12.2 million euros in 2014, down 12.5% (-8.4% at a constant scope) compared to the previous year—especially in Europe, which proved to be "a difficult economic environment," while sales in US stores grew.

Its wholesale business was stable in 2014, at 19.2 million euros (-0.4%). Barbara Bui once more emphasized the difference between the performance of its business in the US, where wholesale sales jumped 53%, and in Europe, where sales were particularly "penalized by geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe" (-19%).

For 2015, the company remains cautious, given the 13% decline in wholesale orders for spring/summer 2015. It seems that the same dynamic seen in 2014 will continue with the difficult eastern European market on the one hand, and "a stable level of orders in the United States" on the other.

€1 = $1.13/£0.75

Barbara Bui ends 2014 down 5.5%

See also