Henkel has raised its full-year sales outlook after a strong first half, lifting its organic growth guidance to between 1.5 percent and 3.5 percent from a previous range of 1 to 3 percent. Shares rose nearly 2 percent in early Frankfurt trading on the upgrade.
The German conglomerate’s consumer brands unit, home to Persil, Bref, Schwarzkopf and Syoss, posted first-half sales of 4.7 billion euros, a nominal decline of 3.5 percent that masked a stronger performance in hair care. Adhesive Technologies, the other pillar of the business, grew faster still.
Henkel’s upgrade will be read by the sector as a modest but meaningful vote of confidence in mass-market beauty and home care. The second half will test whether the momentum survives a European winter that analysts expect to remain choppy.
Organic growth in the first half was driven by positive pricing and volumes across both business units, with adhesives leading. The company credited robust demand for industrial adhesives alongside steady replenishment of its household and beauty ranges.
The guidance lift signals management confidence that pricing and volume can hold through the second half, even as European mass-market consumption stays uneven. Hair care’s resilience within a soft consumer portfolio is the standout detail, vindicating the company’s investment in the Schwarzkopf franchise.
