Birkin bag maker Hermes to raise prices after solid Q4 sales

Price Hike: French luxury design house Hermes said it will raise prices again this year after sales jumped 17.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023, demonstrating the resilience of high end shoppers despite economic headwinds.

The sales for the three months to the end of December totalled 3.36 billion euros ($3.62 billion), up 17.5 per cent at constant foreign exchange rates. That was ahead of expectations for 14 per cent growth, according to Visible Alpha consensus estimates.

The company plans to lift prices by between 8 per cent and 9 per cent this year globally, said Executive Chairman of Hermes, Axel Dumas.

Reasons behind price surge

Hermes raised prices by around 7 per cent globally last year to account for higher production costs, with the exception of the US, where the cost hike was around 3 per cent, and Japan, where they were in the double digits due to currency fluctuations.

One of the most consistent performers in the luxury goods industry, Hermes has a track record of outpacing rivals when economic conditions deteriorate, due to its classic designs and niche in management of production and stocks, which helps maintain the label's aura of exclusivity.

Handbags like the coveted $10,000 plus Birkin model are affordable only for the wealthiest shoppers, who are typically the more immune to choppy economic conditions.

Bernstein analyst Luca Solca said the performance amounted to a "solid beat" confirming Hermes "strong brand momentum."

The French luxury label clocked strong growth in all regions, and flagged "dynamic" growth in China.

"There has been no interruption in trends," Dumas said, noting that while he noticed lower mall traffic in China during his last trip to the country over the fourth quarter "that's not reflected in our figures."

Hermes will pay a 4,000 euro bonus to each of its over 22,000 employees worldwide, the company said.