Beiersdorf AG

Who owns Nivea?
Nivea is owned by Beiersdorf AG, the German consumer goods company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker BEI. Beiersdorf introduced Nivea cream in 1911 in Hamburg. The Herz family holds a majority stake of approximately 51 percent in Beiersdorf through Hamburger Teerosen Holding GmbH. Nivea generated EUR 5,529 million in sales in FY2025 (including Labello), making it the company's largest brand by revenue.

Who owns Coppertone sunscreen?
Coppertone is owned by Beiersdorf AG, which acquired the brand from Bayer AG in May 2019 for approximately $550 million. Before Bayer, Coppertone had been owned by Schering-Plough. Coppertone is part of Beiersdorf's Consumer Business Segment and strengthens the company's sun care presence in the United States.

Who owns Eucerin?
Eucerin is owned by Beiersdorf AG. Eucerin is a premium dermatological skincare brand sold through pharmacy channels and is recommended by dermatologists for patients with dry or sensitive skin conditions. Eucerin is part of Beiersdorf's Derma business unit, which generated EUR 1,492 million in sales in FY2025 with organic growth of 11.7 percent, the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth.

Is Beiersdorf publicly traded?
Yes. Beiersdorf AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker BEI. However, the Herz family holds a majority stake of approximately 51 percent through Hamburger Teerosen Holding GmbH, meaning the free float available to public investors is limited. The company reported Group sales of EUR 9,852 million in FY2025.

What is Beiersdorf's revenue?
Beiersdorf reported Group sales of EUR 9,852 million for FY2025, with organic growth of 2.4 percent. EBIT was EUR 1,320 million, with a margin of 13.4 percent. Profit after tax was EUR 955 million, and earnings per share were EUR 4.25. The proposed dividend is EUR 1.00 per share.

Does Beiersdorf test on animals?
Beiersdorf states that it does not conduct animal testing for products sold in the European Union, where such testing is banned. The company sells products in China, where animal testing requirements have been relaxed but not fully eliminated for all cosmetic categories. Beiersdorf faces ongoing criticism from animal rights organizations for its presence in markets where animal testing may occur.

Beiersdorf was founded in 1882 by pharmacist Paul Beiersdorf in Hamburg, originally as a manufacturer of medical plasters. In 1890, Beiersdorf sold the company to Dr. Oscar Troplowitz, who developed a series of skincare innovations including a new stable emulsion that became the basis for Nivea cream.

Nivea cream was first introduced in 1911 in the now-iconic blue tin, formulated using a new emulsifying agent called Eucerit that allowed oil and water to be combined into a stable cream for the first time. The white cream in the blue tin became one of the most widely distributed consumer products in the world and remains the core Nivea product more than a century later.

The company faced significant challenges during World War II, including the loss of its international trademarks and the separation of operations in East and West Germany. Beiersdorf rebuilt its international portfolio after the war, reclaiming the Nivea trademark in key markets through a combination of legal action and business arrangements. This process took decades in some markets, with the Nivea trademark only fully unified in the 1990s.

The Herz family has been a significant shareholder since the mid-20th century and exercises influence over the company's long-term strategy through its majority holding. This stable family ownership is often cited as a reason for Beiersdorf's consistent long-term investment in the Nivea brand rather than short-term earnings optimization.

In 2019, Beiersdorf acquired Coppertone from Bayer AG for approximately $550 million. The acquisition was part of the company's strategy to expand its sun care portfolio and strengthen its position in the United States market. Coppertone, founded in 1944, is one of the most recognized sunscreen brands in America.

The tesa business segment has its origins in Beiersdorf's adhesive technology development. Originally a supporting product line, tesa has grown into a significant industrial adhesives business serving the automotive, electronics, printing, and packaging industries. tesa operates as a separate business segment with its own management and market strategy.

In FY2025, Beiersdorf undertook a strategic recalibration of Nivea, its largest brand. Nivea generated sales of EUR 5,529 million (including Labello) in FY2025, with organic growth of 0.9 percent but a nominal decline of 1.3 percent. The company has identified clear priorities for 2026 to reaccelerate Nivea's growth, focusing on core categories and innovation.

Beiersdorf has set sustainability targets under its C.A.R.E.+ strategy. The company committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its production sites by 2025. Beiersdorf is a signatory to the Science Based Targets initiative and has committed to net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

In sun care, Beiersdorf has invested in developing reef-friendly sunscreen formulations for its Nivea Sun and Coppertone brands. This responds to consumer and regulatory pressure on certain UV filter chemicals in coastal and marine environments. Hawaii banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in 2021, and other jurisdictions have followed.

Packaging sustainability goals include 100 percent recyclable packaging for consumer products. The company has increased recycled material content across its portfolio. In FY2025, capital expenditure of EUR 463 million included investments in sustainable manufacturing and packaging infrastructure.

Beiersdorf is not a Certified B Corporation. The company publishes a standalone sustainability report alongside its annual report. R&D expenses of EUR 365 million in FY2025 reflect the company's investment in product innovation, including sustainable formulations.

The company's tesa segment also has sustainability initiatives, focusing on solvent-free adhesive production and recyclable adhesive solutions for industrial customers.

Beiersdorf faces scrutiny common to large consumer goods companies operating in the skincare and beauty market. The company's main areas of public attention relate to ingredient safety, environmental impact of sunscreen, and animal testing policies.

Sunscreen ingredient regulation: Beiersdorf's sun care business has been affected by regulatory changes targeting certain UV filter chemicals. Hawaii's ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate, enacted in 2021, has been followed by similar restrictions in other jurisdictions including Palau, the US Virgin Islands, and parts of Mexico. Beiersdorf has reformulated some Nivea Sun and Coppertone products to use reef-friendly UV filters, but the company faces ongoing scrutiny from environmental groups regarding the full ingredient profile of its sunscreen products.

Animal testing: Beiersdorf states that it does not conduct animal testing for products sold in the European Union, where such testing is banned. However, the company sells products in China, where animal testing was historically required for imported cosmetics. China relaxed its animal testing requirements in 2021 for general cosmetics, but some categories still require testing. Beiersdorf, like other global skincare companies, faces criticism from animal rights organizations for selling in markets where animal testing may occur.

Nivea brand performance: Nivea's slow growth in FY2025 (0.9 percent organic) has drawn attention from analysts and investors. The brand's strategic recalibration has raised questions about whether Nivea can maintain its market position against faster-growing competitors like CeraVe and La Roche-Posay, both owned by L'Oreal. The Herz family's majority ownership limits the ability of public minority shareholders to push for more aggressive strategic changes.

Greenwashing concerns: Beiersdorf's sustainability claims, particularly around packaging and carbon neutrality, have faced scrutiny from environmental groups. The company's commitment to carbon neutrality for production sites by 2025 covers Scope 1 and 2 emissions but does not include Scope 3 emissions from the supply chain and product use, which represent the majority of the company's carbon footprint.