The share price of Compagnie Financière Richemont experienced a notable surge on the JSE on Wednesday morning, climbing by 7.5%. This positive movement followed the announcement of robust first-quarter global sales figures from the company's luxury brands division.
Overall, the group reported total sales reaching €6.3 billion for the first three months ending June 30. This figure represents a 20% increase when calculated using constant exchange rates, and a 17% rise based on actual exchange rates. The company is listed on both the Switzerland Stock Exchange and the JSE.
The directors highlighted the performance of the Jewellery Maisons as "excellent," noting a 24% growth at constant rates. The four jewellery maisons—Buccellati, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Vhernier—achieved double-digit sales growth for the seventh consecutive quarter.
Both the watch and jewellery segments demonstrated strong results, attributing this success to "innovation underpinning the desirability of iconic creations." Growth was widespread, affecting all Maisons, geographical areas, and sales channels.
The Specialist Watchmakers segment saw an 8% sequential improvement in sales. Furthermore, the 'Other' business segment, which encompasses Fashion & Accessories Maisons, registered a solid 9% sales growth.
Strong local consumer demand was evident across all regions, with double-digit increases recorded in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Europe, both under constant and actual rate calculations. Additionally, the Middle East & Africa region returned to growth.
Retail operations were a key driver, showing a 24% increase at constant rates. In Europe, sales amounted to €1.43bn, marking an 11% increase in constant currency terms, supported by strong local and tourist spending, particularly from North American and Middle Eastern clientele. Significant contributions came from France, the UK, and Germany.
The Americas experienced an acceleration in sequential sales growth to +27%, driven by sustained local demand. Asia Pacific sales climbed by 21% compared to the previous year, totaling €2.07bn in constant currency rates. Double-digit sales increases were seen in China, Hong Kong, and Macau combined, fueled by strong demand there, alongside solid growth in South Korea and Taiwan.
Japan saw a substantial 36% rise in sales, reaching €632m in constant currency terms, reversing a 15% decline from the prior year, thanks to local and tourist spending. In the Middle East & Africa, sales grew by 3%, where local demand successfully counteracted a sharp decrease in tourist spending linked to regional conflict.
The company maintained a strong cash position of €9.1bn, which includes a €0.4bn cash inflow resulting from the divestment of the Avolta stake. Investment within the Jewellery Maisons continues to be made to foster growth despite persistent volatility in the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, which contributes to high raw material costs.
The Galaxy Buds 4 are being sold for R$ 975 via Pix on Mercado Livre, using the OFFMELI coupon. This price represents the lowest ever recorded for the product, offering a significant discount of 39% compared to the original price of R$ 1,599. It is important to note that this promotional offer is valid only this Wednesday, the 15th.
One of the main differentiators of the Galaxy Buds 4 is support for 24-bit Hi-Fi audio, providing detailed sound quality. They also feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a function designed to filter external sounds, although it does not guarantee total isolation for user safety reasons.
Integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistants is another strong point, allowing the use of voice commands for menu navigation and searches. The earbuds support assistants such as Samsung's Bixby, as well as options like Google Gemini and Perplexity. Additionally, Galaxy AI offers features such as automatic conversation translation for users of the Galaxy line.
To improve call clarity, the Buds 4 incorporate the Voice Pickup Unit, which optimizes voice capture. The sound experience can be further personalized thanks to the adaptive equalizer, which adjusts frequencies according to each user's specific ear canal shape. In terms of connectivity, they use Bluetooth 6.1, ensuring lower latency during real-time transmissions or gaming.
Practicality is reinforced by the Auto Switch function, which allows easy switching between paired devices when the user uses the earbuds with multiple devices. Regarding autonomy, the earbuds have 45 mAh batteries, offering up to 6 hours of use with ANC activated and 7 hours without it. The charging case has its own 515 mAh battery, resulting in a total usage time of up to 30 hours for the set.
The Galaxy Buds 4 are certified with IP54, indicating moderate resistance against exposure to sweat, dust, and water splashes.
Insurance for two BYD models was again classified as the most expensive in the country, according to a recent survey conducted by Creditas Seguros. The average policy values reached an impressive R$ 5.1 thousand.
The study, referring to the month of May, placed the BYD Song Plus at the top of the ranking, presenting an average premium of R$ 5,044.03 for men and R$ 5,118.41 for women. Next was the BYD Dolphin Mini, with average costs of R$ 3,778.74 for men and R$ 3,408.47 for women. The analysis cross-referenced quotes made in the eleven capitals considered most relevant in the automotive market, according to Fenabrave's classification, covering the ten best-selling models in each period.
For this survey, profiles of men and women aged 33 and married were considered. The quote used was the lowest value found among the surveyed insurers, which included Azul, Allianz, Bradesco, HDI, Itaú, Mapfre, Porto Seguro, Tokio Marine, and Zurich. Industry experts indicate that the high cost of these models is due to them being electrified—the Song Plus being a plug-in hybrid and the Dolphin Mini being fully electric. The high price of batteries and spare parts, much of which is imported, combined with the scarcity of specialized workshops, increases the risk calculated by the insurers and, consequently, the premium value.
The increase in costs was not limited to electric vehicles. In the average of the capitals, car insurance rose for both analyzed profiles in May. For men, the value jumped from R$ 2,375.64 in April to R$ 2,771.61 in May, representing a growth of 16.67%. For women, there was an increase of 2.48%, rising from R$ 2,627.10 to R$ 2,692.38.
Marcelo Baseoti, manager at Creditas Seguros, commented that May is a month with historical fluctuations, attributing this to a market reaction to several intensifying risk factors in certain areas. He cited claims frequency, the increase in theft and robbery, and the dynamics of new car sales itself as contributors to the change in prices.
The largest variations of the month highlighted the irregularity of the market. The insurance for the Song Plus had a significant jump of 66.69% for the male profile compared to April, and 30.24% for the female profile. The Dolphin Mini showed opposite trends depending on gender: it became 17.39% more expensive for men but 13.31% cheaper for women. Other models also registered notable movements, such as the Hyundai Creta Comfort Safety, which increased by 26.78% for men, while the Hyundai HB20 Comfort 1.0 manual remained the most affordable option, with averages of R$ 1,796.89 for men and R$ 1,870.31 for women.
Geographically, Rio de Janeiro maintained its position as the most expensive capital, with average policies of R$ 5,591.11 for men and R$ 4,456.31 for women, surpassing other cities. The state capital also concentrated the price peaks by model; in the case of the Dolphin Mini, the average male premium reached R$ 10,065.11. On the other hand, Florianópolis recorded the lowest values in the country, with averages of R$ 2,184.90 for men and R$ 2,364.24 for women.
Standard Bank, Africa's largest bank by assets, has announced a collaboration with Helios Towers (HT). The goal of this partnership is to provide an innovative Social Documentary Credit Facility worth $29 million (approximately 474.9 million Rand).
This deal marks the first use of Standard Bank's Social Documentary Credit Facility, structured as Sustainable Finance. It aims to stimulate the growth of telecommunications infrastructure across the African continent. According to a statement made on Wednesday, this facility will facilitate the procurement and import of vital telecommunication services and infrastructure.
The financing will provide HT with increased payment confidence and support its working capital needs, as well as its ambitious infrastructure expansion program. The financing structure complies with the Trade Credit Association's Social Credit Principles, and its objective is to improve digital connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure development in underserved markets.
As HT seeks to increase its presence, this funding provides resources to expand mobile network coverage and improve connectivity across Africa, directly addressing the issue of digital divide. HT operates one of the leading independent tower platforms in the continent, enabling mobile operators to effectively deploy their services across multiple markets.
The benefits of this facility extend beyond immediate financial assistance. It is designed to support tower infrastructure expansion, increase network density, and improve connection quality in the most remote and least developed areas of Africa, thereby contributing to economic growth and socio-economic development.
Benoît Samuelhan, Global Transaction Banker at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), noted that the deal demonstrates the strength of innovation in trade finance. He emphasized that by combining the market's first Social Documentary Credit Facility with a cross-border financing solution, Standard Bank supported Helios Towers' growth objectives and helped expand digital connectivity in underserved communities in Africa.
The potential social impact of this facility is considerable: significant improvements in communications and business opportunities are expected in the markets where HT operates. By increasing and improving network coverage, the initiative aims to promote digital inclusion among communities that have historically faced connectivity challenges.
Alex Carter, CFO of the HT group, stated that 'robust digital infrastructure is the foundation for Africa's future growth and development.' He added that 'this facility gives us the flexibility and confidence needed to support our infrastructure investments while advancing our mission to expand connectivity across the continent.'
Noliso Mpansa, Head of Sustainable Finance at Standard Bank CIB, commented that the bank intends to provide tailored trade finance solutions that contribute to the development of telecommunications infrastructure in Africa.
