Interparfums, after a positive first semester, is confident for the rest of the year

On Wednesday the Interparfums group, specialised in the licensed production and distribution of fragrances such as Montblanc, Jimmy Choo and Balmain, reported rising first-semester figures, and continues to expect a favourable year-end result.

Thanks chiefly to the planned launch of Jimmy Choo Illicit, the third women's fragrance line for this successful brand, "the outlook for the second semester is positive," Philippe Benacin, the group's CEO, has forecasted.

The business' growth should "accelerate" even further in 2016, he continued, thanks to the acquisition of Rochas last March and the planned development of a fragrance range labelled after New York leather goods brand Coach, following a licence agreement announced in April.

From January to the end of June, net income rose to €13.9 million, a 3% increase on a yearly basis. Operating income amounted to €21.4 million, increasing by 9%, with operating margin reaching 14.6%, this despite an 8.5% increase in marketing and advertising expenditure, according to the group's press release.

In July, Interparfums announced a 2% rise at current exchange rates in its semester revenues, amounting to €147.1 million, chiefly due to the favourable trend of the euro-dollar exchange rate. For the whole of the year, the group plans to achieve sales between €310 and 320 million.