News The French luxury group recorded an increase in sales of 7.9% to 1.9 billion Euros (2.3 billion francs) in the first half of 2014. Hermès predicts a half-yearly operating profit «close» to the annual record of 32.4% attained in 2013. At constant exchange rates, turnover for the half-year was up 12%, driven by Asia (+17%), Japan (+11%) and America (+13%), while Europe fared well with an increase of nearly 7%. Growth in sales of leather goods, the main division of Hermès, remained very buoyant, recording an upturn of 12.6% for the first half-year. Watchmaking meanwhile, penalised by wholesale trading on a market which remains difficult, particularly in China, saw sales nosedive by 6.7% during the six-month period.
August 20, 2014