Houlihan Lokey Advises ARTDECO Group

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that the Germany-based ARTDECO Group, a leading family-run decorative cosmetics group, has been acquired by Sodalis Group (Sodalis), a family-owned European market leader in the cosmetics and nutraceuticals segment, headquartered in Italy. Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive sellside advisor to the shareholders of ARTDECO Group. The transaction closed on 21 May 2024.

Founded in 1985 in Germany with the vision to create a high-quality makeup brand for cosmetics retailers and beauty institutes at an affordable price, ARTDECO Group today is the leading decorative cosmetics group operating three distinct and complementary color cosmetic brands: ARTDECO, Make Up Factory, and ANNY. Its flagship brand, ARTDECO, has become an essential addition to any cosmetics store offering and has established itself as the market leader in the German selective makeup market. Today, more than 90% of all German cosmetics retailers and department stores carry ARTDECO’s product range. Internationally, ARTDECO products are offered in more than 60 countries.

Make Up Factory was launched 18 years ago as an exclusive professional makeup brand at Müller cosmetics stores and is now the leading exclusive brand of this multinational retail group. Internationally, Make Up Factory is distributed in more than 20 countries around the world.

ANNY was founded in 2011 as a nail specialist. With a passion for the perfect manicure and extraordinary colors, ANNY strives to bring the latest trends from America to Europe and has since become one of the leading nail brands in selective retail.

ARTDECO Group employs 680 people based in Munich and operates a proprietary production site for product assembly and a cutting-edge logistics warehouse located in Karlsfeld and Bergkirchen (in the greater Munich metropolitan region).

Founded in Italy and family-owned, Sodalis is a major independently owned European health, beauty, personal, and home care group, owning more than 20 brands and employing over 1,100 people, with offices in Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, and Spain. Sodalis achieved €690 million in net sales in 2023 and holds a strong position in mass-market retailers, pharmacies, e-commerce, and cosmetics stores.

Sodalis continues its path of strong international development, reinforcing its position in the European beauty landscape. On one hand, the acquisition perfectly complements the business in Germany, where Sodalis is already active with an owned affiliate (Lornamead, owner of CD, a well-known German deodorant and body wash brand), successfully acquired in 2022. On the other hand, it strengthens Sodalis’ presence in the makeup market, a highly strategic industry in which the group leads with brands such as BioNike, Deborah Milano, and Goovi in Italian pharmacies, mass-market retailers, and e-commerce, respectively.