Louis Vuitton is relying on luxury tourism to revitalize sales

01-07-24

Luxury brand Louis Vuitton did not get off to a good start in the first quarter of 2024, with revenue down 2% versus 18% growth in 2023 at the same unit that includes Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine and Loewe. Subdued demand and limited pricing power could increase pressure on earnings in the second half, with a possible increase in discounting at entry-level aspirational brands.

"While management aims to 'stabilize' margin for the year, we believe it will be difficult due to the weaker sales environment, the mismatch between sales weakness and cost measures, the performance gap between brands and the impact of the exchange rate. Despite the relative year-on-year weakness, the margin remains approximately 500 basis points higher compared to five years ago," Deutsche Bank experts note.