Group sales growth
Sales reached EUR 22.4 billion, up 11% at constant exchange rates and 5% at actual exchange rates; Q4 sales up 13% at constant rates, with sequential acceleration in Asia Pacific, the Americas and Japan.
Jewellery Maisons outperformance
Jewellery Maisons sales EUR 16.5 billion, +14% at constant rates (+8% at actual rates); operating profit for Jewellery Maisons EUR 5.0 billion (+20% at constant rates, +3% at actual rates) with a strong operating margin of 30.5%.
Regional strength—Americas and Asia
Americas grew +17% (contributed ~25% of group sales) with double-digit growth throughout the year; Asia Pacific +8% (Asia Pacific represented 32% of group sales) and Japan +9% with Q4 Japan growth of +28%.
Robust cash generation and balance sheet
Cash flow from operating activities EUR 4.9 billion (+10% YoY), free cash flow EUR 2.8 billion (+EUR 0.6 billion YoY); net cash position EUR 8.5 billion (increase of EUR 239 million).
Shareholder returns increased
Board proposed total dividend CHF 4.30 per A share (or 10 B shares), comprised of ordinary dividend CHF 3.30 (+10% over prior year) and a special dividend CHF 1.00.
Selective investment in long-term growth and craftsmanship
Gross CapEx EUR 1.0 billion (4.6% of sales) focused >50% on retail upgrades and >25% on manufacturing expansion; continued investment in apprenticeships and creative/educational initiatives (LEcole des Arts Joailliers, Creative Academy).
Direct-to-client growth and channel mix
Retail (71% of sales) up 12%; online retail (6% of sales) up 8%; direct-to-client channels (DOOS + online) made up 77% of group sales, indicating strong retail execution and online resilience.
Operational discipline and communication efficiency
Net operating expenses broadly stable while sales grew, resulting in net operating expenses at 44.4% of sales (down 160 bps); communication spend decreased 5% in absolute terms (down 2% at constant rates) reflecting more efficient allocation.
Business simplification actions
Agreement announced for Damiani to acquire full ownership of Baume & Mercier; targeted store right‑sizing in China and selective network upgrades globally to improve quality of footprint.