PZ Cussons upbeat after first year of Childs Farm ownership

PZ Cussons said in an update on Tuesday that its baby and child personal care business Childs Farm looked set to experience a significant boost in revenue over the next five years.

The FTSE 250 company acquired Childs Farm in March last year.

It said that, by leveraging its expertise in brand-building and commercial operations, along with continued growth in the UK and international markets, Childs Farm revenue could be tripled over the coming half-decade.

Since the acquisition in March 2022, PZ Cussons said Childs Farm had consistently performed well.

In the 2023 financial year, it recorded an impressive 12% rise in revenue, primarily driven by strong consumer demand for its products designed for babies and children with sensitive skin.

That growth was supported by the successful introduction of new products, including the 'SlumberTime' range, which uses sleep-enhancing technology to aid both babies and their parents in achieving a good night's sleep.

Additionally, expanded customer distribution, as well as effective social and digital marketing initiatives, contributed to the brand’s success.

The company also noted that Childs Farm achieved the status of a certified B Corporation in July last year, making it the first children's personal care brand in the UK to do so.

“We are really proud of the continued development of Childs Farm under our ownership and excited about the growth we see ahead for this unique business,” said PZ Cussons’ chief financial officer Sarah Pollard.

“As we look ahead, we see opportunities to accelerate Childs Farm's progress and strengthen its leadership position, to enter new international markets and to continue to launch innovative new product ranges.”

Pollard said that as a brand, Childs Farm was “highly complementary” to the firm’s strategic focus on the baby category, which she described as an “attractive and growing” market worth £3.5bn in retail sales across PZ Cussons’ priority markets alone.

“Our success today in growing Childs Farm reflects our winning formula for brand building, a key part of our wider strategy as we continue to transform the business.”

At 0824 BST, shares in PZ Cussons were up 0.25% at 161.2p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.