In Brief: Shiseido
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Shiseido: Saha Asia Pacific established in Thailand through a joint venture with Thailand's third largest industrial conglomerate, the Saha Group. The new company, established Nov. 17, will market the Za skin care and makeup brand in Thailand. Shiseido will use Saha's sales network and expertise in self-select marketing to expand distribution of the line, which is targeted to middle class consumers, from the current 30 doors in Thailand to 2,000 outlets by 2000. The joint venture hopes to generate sales of about $3.8 mil. (160 mil. Baht) in 1998 and $10.2 mil. (430 mil. Baht) by 2000, and to capture a 40% share of the self-select cosmetics market by 2000. Shiseido invested approximately $1.2 mil. (49.9 mil. Baht) in the subsidiary, giving it a 49.9% interest in the company. Separately, Shiseido announced net sales for the first half of fiscal 1998 (ended Sept. 30) rose 9.6% to $2.41 bil. (310.47 bil. yen ), while ordinary income rose 9.3% to $170.5 mil. (yen 21.95 bil.). Overseas sales increased 35.5% to $323.7 mil. (yen 41.67 bil.), with the U.S. accounting for 27% (roughly $119 mil.) of the company's $442 mil. (yen 56.9 bil.) wholesale business...