Back-to-school Success Pushes BIC Sales Higher

A strong regional back-to-school (BTS) performance boosted Q4 sales for BIC, capping off an otherwise difficult year. In the manufacturer’s stationery segment, sales rose 2.4% in constant currency at €172.4 million ($215 million). 

Despite market volatility, the company saw a solid performance across all of its operating regions in the period.

In particular, Europe reported mid-single digit growth thanks to a good back-to-school (BTS) season and the success of new products.

FY2017 sales in the category rose 2.3% in constant currency at €791.8 million and volumes grew by 2.4%.

In the face of a slightly declining market, North America managed to record modest sales growth, also driven by a strong BTS period, new added-value product launches and increased momentum in its e-commerce channel, particularly during Q3 and Q4.

In Latin America, growth across the region was supported by increased advertising presence, notably in the ball-pen segment. The group also gained market share in Mexico during BTS, but sales were flat in Brazil due to inventory reductions.

Strong in-store visibility resulted in an “outstanding” performance in South Africa, with solid growth across the entire Middle-East and Africa region.

Overall, BIC reported full-year sales of €2.02 billion across all categories, up 0.5% in constant currency. Pre-tax profit came in at €120.7 million compared to €100.9 million.

BIC CEO Bruno Bich commented: “2017 was a challenging year, characterised by unprecedented levels of volatility. Our markets are changing rapidly in an increasingly competitive environment. Empowered by new technologies, consumers are more than ever looking for convenience and product customisation. We remain focused on our long‐term growth potential while managing short-term headwinds.”

Full Article: OPI.net