BIC Confirms 2026 Sales Outlook with Moderate Growth
News fromCourierPR · 3 min read
BIC, a global leader in stationery, lighters, shavers, and hairbrushes, has released its Q3 and 9M 2026 net sales figures, confirming its outlook for the year. The company reported €516 million in net sales for Q3 2026, with organic growth of -0.6%, resulting in 9M 2026 net sales of €1,556 million, which saw an organic growth of +1.0%.
The company's Human Expression (Stationery) division saw Q3 organic growth of -1.1%, with softer performance in North America and Latin America, despite growth in Europe and the Middle East and Africa. In North America, organic net sales declined moderately, primarily due to the timing of Back-to-School shipments in the U.S., with some orders shipped in Q2 instead of Q3, as well as continued weakness in the Ball Pen segment. However, BIC continued to deliver solid Back-to-School performance in other key segments, such as Mechanical Pencils and Correction.
The Flame for Life (Lighters) division reported a Q3 net sales decline of -4.6% organically, reflecting soft performance in North America combined with more challenging trends in Europe and Latin America. In North America, organic net sales were slightly down, notably against an unfavorable comparison base due to retailer pre-buys ahead of the September 2025 price increase. However, BIC's anti-counterfeit actions continued to support growth in the convenience channel.
The Blade Excellence (Shavers & Brushes) division saw Q3 organic growth of +3.9%, mainly driven by robust growth in the Brushes business and solid growth in Shavers in Europe. In Shavers, slight organic growth in Q3 was primarily driven by a strong performance in Europe, driven by distribution gains across key Western and Eastern European markets and the success of premium products, including BIC Soleil Escape and BIC Flex 5 Refillable. In Middle East and Africa, net sales grew double digits, fueled by solid commercial execution across key African countries and strong performance of the iconic BIC 1 shaver. In North America, performance remained under pressure amid a highly competitive environment, and BIC lost market share. In Latin America, net sales declined due to softness in both Brazil and Mexico. In Brazil, performance was impacted by strong competitive pressure and declines in the one and two-blade segments. However, BIC Flex and Soleil triple-blade shavers remained solid performers, supported by the marketing campaign featuring Ronaldinho.
In Tangle Teezer, outstanding organic growth of +29% was driven by robust performance in North America and Europe, as well as the successful launches of the Mini Ultimate Detangler and Chrome collections, alongside strong initial uptake of the recently launched Complete Care Brush range.
BIC anticipates modest organic growth of 2026, with an adjusted EBIT margin slightly above 14.0%, and stable Free Cash Flow year-on-year.
The company's portfolio includes iconic brands and products such as BIC® 4-Color™, Cristal®, BIC Kids®, Lucky™, Tipp-Ex®, Wite-Out®, Djeep®, EZ Load™, EZ Reach®, BIC® Flex™, Soleil®, Tangle Teezer®, and more. Listed on Euronext Paris and included in the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes, BIC is also recognized for its commitments to sustainability and education.
BIC will present its Q3 2026 Net Sales during a webcast and conference call on October 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM CET. To participate in the webcast, join via the following link. To participate in the conference call, dial in by phone using one of the numbers below: - From France: +33 1 70 91 87 04 - From the UK: +44 1 212 818 004 - From the USA: +1 718 705 87 96 - Vocal access code: BIC
BIC's portfolio includes iconic brands and products such as BIC® 4-Color™, Cristal®, BIC Kids®, Lucky™, Tipp-Ex®, Wite-Out®, Djeep®, EZ Load™, EZ Reach®, BIC® Flex™, Soleil®, Tangle Teezer®, and more. Listed on Euronext Paris and included in the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes, BIC is also recognized for its commitments to sustainability and education.