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Mon, 23 Mar 2026

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder in merger talks with owner of Jean Paul Gaultier and Rabanne

The deal would create a global beauty giant, uniting brands such as Tom Ford, Bobbi Brown and Rabanne.
Estee Lauder Cosmetics and Spanish company Puig, which owns brands like Rabanne and Jean Paul Gaultier, are in merger talks that could create a $40 billion beauty giant. Estee Lauder, with its portfolio of Clinique, Bobbi Brown, and Tom Ford brands, is seeking to revive its business after reporting sluggish sales last year. The potential deal would see the two companies combine their resources, creating a cosmetics powerhouse with operations in 150 countries. If successful, it could rival L'Oreal as one of the world's largest cosmetics companies. Shares in Estee Lauder fell almost 8% on Monday following news of the talks. Puig, which also owns fashion label Dries Van Noten and fragrance brand Carolina Herrera, reported revenue of over €5 billion last year.