Global Beauty Company enhances position in color cosmetics

In addition, COTY is expected to become the global leader in fragrances and to significantly enhance its position in color cosmetics. P&G’s businesses include leading fragrance brands such as Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci and the color cosmetics brands COVERGIRL and Max Factor.

The agreement to merge signed by P&G and COTY create one of the world’s largest beauty companies, with pro forma combined annual revenues of more than $10 billion based on fiscal year 2014 performance, strengthening its leadership position in the $300 billion global beauty industry.

The transaction is expected to significantly expand COTY’s geographical footprint, providing scale in large beauty markets like Brazil and Japan, while also increasing critical mass in important geographies in which COTY currently operates, such as in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Bart Becht, Chairman and Interim CEO of COTY, commented,  “With the Beauty talent from both sides and the fantastic portfolio of world-class brands, we have the opportunity to create a highly focused, pure-play leader and challenger in Beauty which can deliver exciting opportunities and benefits for employees, licensors, customers and suppliers. There is no question that with the broader offering of leading brands, strong brand support, the development of a better pipeline of innovative products and the much broader geographical reach and scale, COTY will strengthen its competitive position and ability to capitalize on revenue and profit growth opportunities over time.”

He added, “Additionally, our combined operational and financial platform will allow us to drive meaningful EPS accretion and generate substantial incremental free cash flow over the long term, giving us a strong balance sheet with a conservative leverage profile.  All of this has the potential to lead to accelerated value creation for COTY shareholders.”