Sawt Falasteen - L'Oreal sees double-digit sales growth

The company, whose brands include Garnier, Lancome and Maybelline, said its sales came in at 11.6 billion euros ($13.0 billion) in the three months to the end of September, handily beating analyst expectations.

That is an 11.9-percent increase from the same period last year, with growth in all divisions, including the luxury unit.

Chief executive Nicolas Hieronimus called L'Oreal's third quarter performance "exceptional".

"The global beauty market, once again, proved its resilience in a challenging context -- and we continued to significantly outpace it," he said.

He reaffirmed his confidence that L'Oreal will manage to increase its sales and profits again this year, but did not provide any figures.

Sales rose in all regions, including in the company's North Asia region.

It said China had been the key driver, its sales there advancing nearly three times faster than the overall market, with the luxury segment also growing.

China was the main driver of growth in the luxury market until recent years.

L'Oreal has largely been able to avoid the troubles that luxury groups have faced thanks to its products aimed at the mass market and professionals.

F.Qawasmeh--SF-PST