LVMH’s first quarter sales growth slips to 3% on luxury slowdown

LVMH reported a 3% rise in first quarter sales on Tuesday, marking a slowdown as rising prices prompted more shoppers who aspire to own its handbags and other luxury goods to hold back on splashing out thousands of dollars.

The slower quarterly sales growth reflected comparisons with the same period in 2023, when sales were boosted by the lifting of COVID-19 curbs in LVMH’s key market of mainland China and comes amid worries about a prolonged global slowdown which has knocked luxury companies’ shares over the past year.

The world’s largest luxury group, owner of Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, said sales for the quarter ending in March were up 3% year-on-year on an organic basis to 20.69 billion euros ($22 billion), matching analyst expectations.