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Oriflame Q3 Profit Above Forecast

 
Oriflame Cosmetics Russian sales stabilized in the third quarter after the beauty products retailer made changes to a compensation plan for sales representatives in the country. The stock rose the most in more than a decade.
Oriflame’s adjusted operating profit totalled 19.7 million euros (15.44 million pounds), topping a mean forecast of 16.8 million in a Reuters poll of analysts.  Revenue in Russia rose 1 percent at local currency rates in the three months through September, the Luxembourg-based company said, the first growth in more than a year.
Oriflame, which gets about half of sales from the countries of the former Soviet Union, reported estimate-beating third-quarter earnings, resulting in a record share rise.
Changes to the so-called Success Plan for employees “are starting to deliver results,” the company said today without elaborating. The Russian sales growth comes after global cosmetics leader L’Oreal SA reported higher revenue in the country yesterday.
“We can see positive trends in Russia with growth in the third quarter and positive continuation into the fourth quarter,” Oriflame Chief Executive Officer Magnus Braennstroem said. The retailer has had operations in the country since 1992.
Oriflame and L’Oreal join western European consumer-products companies reporting surprisingly good growth in Russia in the third

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Mannatech Elects Eric W. Schrier to Board Of Directors

 
Mannatech Incorporated, the pioneer of nutritional glycobiology, and leading innovator of naturally-sourced supplements based on Real Food Technology® solutions, and creator of the M5MSM (Mission 5 MillionSM) social entrepreneurial movement, announced the appointment of Eric W. Schrier to the Board of Directors, effective October 28, 2014.
Stanley J. Fredrick, Chairman of the Board of Mannatech, Incorporated, commented, “Mr. Schrier brings a wealth of valuable experience in digital and print media, customer acquisition, and direct selling.”
Mr. Schrier, age 62, served as President and CEO of The Reader’s Digest Association where he was responsible for $2.4 billion in revenue and 4,500 employees and more than 100 million customers in 70 countries during his tenure from January 2006 to March 2007. Since June 2013, he has served on the Board of Directors as Chairman for Edible Media, a multi-platform media company in the farm-to-table food space.
He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for TEN (The Enthusiast Network) (since January 2011), American Chemical Society (since June 2012), Reader’s Digest Association (since April 2014), and MeQuilibrium (since October 2011). He has previously served on the boards of Willow House (from July 2009 to December 2013), Demdex Corp (from July 2009 to January 2011), and Bonnier

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Avon Products’ Rating Cut To Junk By S&P

 
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services on Monday cut beauty products direct seller Avon Products Inc. corporate rating to junk, citing the company’s slower-than-expected progress to improve business and weak results, particularly in the U.S. and Brazil.

“Some of the company’s issues are deeper than we anticipated,” S&P said, cutting Avon’s corporate rating to double-B-plus, one notch below investment grade. While the company has a good geographic diversity, the rating agency said, “it will take time to re-engage its active representatives and rebuild sales growth.”

S&P, however, kept the company’s outlook at stable, signaling an expected improvement.
Founded in 1886 by David H. McConnell, a traveling book salesman, Avon became known for a growing sales force of women—the Avon Ladies—and its trademark “Avon calling!” But the New York-based company has been struggling to grow sales and attract and retain sales representatives.
Avon, which in July reported another quarter of disappointing sales and lower profits but said its U.K. market had reported the first quarter of sales growth since 2010, is the midst of a multiyear restructuring plan that the company is hoping will result in $400 million in savings.
About Avon
Everyday, Avon brings beauty to the lives of women all over the world. At Avon, beauty means finding the right lipstick

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