Bath & Body Works is focusing on growing its men’s business with the introduction of new skincare and beard care collections. The retailer has already grown its men’s category by 50% over the past three years through product evolution and assortment expansion, and the new offerings aim to help the retailer maintain its momentum in the men’s care space.
Bath & Body Works also has given its entire men’s fragrance and body care assortment a new, elevated look. This, combined with additional options to help male customers personalize their grooming routines, is part of the retailer’s efforts to create a one-stop shop for personal care needs.
New additions to the men’s skincare and beard care lines include face washes, beard oils and lotions. The men’s care collection also will see the return of the Hero fragrance in time for Father’s Day. The assortment of products featuring the fragrance include cologne, body wash, body cream and deodorant.
“We created the Men’s Shop as a way to give the growing male customer base their very own destination within our brand to create and customize a product experience to complement their lifestyle,” said Betsy Schumacher, Chief Merchandising Officer at Bath & Body Works in a statement. “Because we know these customers are not only incredibly loyal, but also highly engaged and eager to try new products, we are constantly looking for ways to introduce them to on-trend fragrances, must-try key items and white space categories that will make their routine as fun as it is functional.”
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The expanded men’s collection is the first major move from Bath & Body Works after it appointed Thomas J. Kuhn as a new independent member of its Board at the recommendation of activist investor Third Point, which holds a 6% stake in the retailer. Third Point owner Daniel Loeb had accused the retailer of operating in “triage mode rather than via best corporate governance practices” due to declining revenue.
The retailer reported net sales of $2.9 billion for Q4 2022, which ended Jan. 28, 2023, down 5% compared to Q4 2021. While some investors were critical of this performance, CEO Gina Boswell noted that they represented “better-than-expected earnings results despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, which is a testament to the strengths of this organization.”
The company will report Q1 2023 results on May 18.
