The first quarter of 2025 revealed a mixed bag of performances across the direct selling industry’s players. While companies like Natura &Co, USANA, and Nature’s Sunshine posted year-over-year growth, others such as Medifast reported significant declines.
The period was also marked by strategic acquisitions, business simplification efforts, and cautious optimism as firms navigated economic headwinds, shifting consumer behavior, and regional volatility. Emerging trends include a growing reliance on digital platforms, geographic focus shifts, and product diversification.
This article reviews the Q1 performances of seven key companies – Herbalife, Medifast, Natura &Co, Nature’s Sunshine, Nu Skin, Oriflame, and USANA – offering a snapshot of how each is doing and the opportunities ahead.
Herbalife reported $1.2 billion sales for the first quarter, down 3% from last year’s same quarter. This result was at midpoint of the company’s guidance range.
At the regional level, the worst performance recorded in China (-13.8%). It was followed by North America (-4.3%), Latin America (-3.5%), Asia-Pacific (-2%), and EMEA (-1.7%).
The first quarter of 2025 marked Herbalife’s fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in the number of new distributors joining the company worldwide, up 16% year-over-year.
“Our first quarter results were strong. Our recent acquisitions strengthen our position and support our commitment to transformative growth,” commented Stephan Gratziani, President and CEO.
In April 2025, Herbalife acquired certain assets of Pro2col LLC and Pruvit. Additionally, the company obtained a 51% ownership interest in HBL Link Bioscience LLC.
Pro2col is a health and wellness digital application company. Pruvit is a direct-selling market leader of patented ketone supplements. Link BioSciences is a company that utilizes proprietary technology to process biometrics, biomarkers, lifestyle data, and DNA. The commercial release of the Pro2col technology platform in the U.S. is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025, with additional markets to follow beginning in 2026.
For the second quarter of 2025, Herbalife expects -3.5% to +0.5% sales growth and for the whole year, -2.5% to +2.5%.
For more information on Herbalife’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
Medifast closed the first quarter of the year with a 34% decline in sales ($116 million versus $175 million in 2024).
This result, as the company stated, was primarily driven by a decrease in the number of active OPTAVIA coaches (-33%). And this was mainly driven by continued challenges in customer acquisition, they added.
CEO Dan Chard said, “Research we commissioned indicates that 83% of those looking to lose weight lack confidence in their ability to transition to a healthy lifestyle for long-term health and wellness improvements. Our OPTAVIA program is designed to provide this essential knowledge through personalized support and clinically studied, tailored plans. This year, we are focused on revitalizing our coach and customer base by supporting them with enhanced tools, data, and new products. Our business focus remains on reestablishing sustainable long-term growth while improving profitability.”
Medifast expects the second quarter 2025 revenue to be in the range of $85 million to $105. The company’s revenues were $169 million in 2024 Q2.
For more information on Medifast’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
Natura &Co’s net revenues in the first quarter totalled BRL 6.7 billion, up 46% compared to last year’s same quarter. As a side information, in 2024, Avon International was accounted for as discontinued operations until it was reconsolidated back in December
Natura Brazil reported an 8% revenue increase in the quarter, driven by a richer mix and pricing gains. Natura Hispanic Latam reported 38% revenue increase. Avon Brazil’s revenue landed at -12.0%. The solid growth from the fragrance category was more than offset by fewer innovation SKUs launched during the quarter – particularly impacting make-up category, the company said. Avon Hispanic Latam’s revenue was up 12% in the quarter.
”Natura brand maintained solid performance, though slightly softer amid Brazil’s volatile macro scenario, partially offset by a still challenging environment for the Avon brand. In addition, Avon International revenue remained subdued,” the management commented.
The company sees the simplification of their business a strategic priority, as they continue to converge their focus to the Latin America region. As a result of that, the Holding announced the merger of Natura &Co into Natura Cosmeticos. Following this merger, the management of Natura Cosmeticos took over leadership of the “Consolidated Company”. In the meanwhile, management continues to evaluate strategic opportunities for the Avon International, including a potential divestment.
For more information on Natura &Co’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
Following its 9% growth in the last quarter of 2024, Nature’s Sunshine reported another 2% sales increase in Q1. ($113 million versus $111 in Q1 of 2024). This was slightly ahead of the internal expectations, and they are very encouraged by the way that the year has started, the management said.
Europe posted 8% and Asia posted 5% revenue increases in the first quarter. On the other hand, sales in North America were down 4% and in Latin America down 8%. Asia is Nature’s Sunshine’s largest region with its 43% share in revenues.
Commenting on the results, CEO Terrence Moorehead said, “We’re particularly pleased with the exceptional growth we’re seeing in Asia and Europe where markets like Taiwan, Japan and Central Europe continue to deliver strong double-digit growth. We’re also pleased to see early signs of stabilization in North America.”
Nature’s Sunshine continues to expect full year 2025 sales to range between $445 – $470 million. The company achieved $454 million sales in 2024. “The lower end of that guidance would say we’re really in a recession-type environment, where things get very bad. And then the upper end would say that we continue to see the things that we’ve seen in Q1,” said Shane Jones, company CFO.
For more information on Nature’s Sunshine’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
Nu Skin reported $364.5 million sales in the first quarter, at the high end of company’s guidance. Yet it was 13% lower than the company’s performance in the same period of 2024.
All of Nu Skin’s regions posted declining revenues in Q1: Each of China and Europe & Africa -22%, South Korea -21%, Southeast Asia/Pacific -13%, Americas -8%, Hong Kong/Taiwan -7%, and Japan -3%.
Nu Skin’s Rhyz business, on the other hand, recorded a strong quarter with revenues up 57% to more than $62 million. The revenue contribution from Rhyz accounted for approximately 15% of the total in Q1. Nu Skin expects this segment to account for 20% to 25% of company’s overall revenues in 2025.
“We are pleased to achieve revenue at the high end of our guidance range, said Ryan Napierski, Nu Skin president and CEO. “We drove year-over-year growth in Latin America and our Rhyz manufacturing segment, but we continue to experience consumer caution in premium beauty due to concerns such as inflation and tariffs in many parts of the world. We are also laying the groundwork for expansion into India with a market pre-opening in Q4 and formal launch in mid-2026 ”
For the second quarter of 2025, the company expects $355 to $390 million sales (-19% to -11%.) And the expectation for the full year is $1.48 to $1.62 billion sales (-15% to -6%).
Nu Skin celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
For more information on Nu Skin’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
Oriflame’s first quarter sales decreased by 7% to €145.6 million (€156.5 million in Q1 of 2024). Management commented on this positively, reminding the fact that the first quarter of 2024 had ended with -25%. Oriflame has approximately 1.6 million “members” globally.
Among the company’s regions, only Turkey & Africa reported sales growth (+6%). Sales in Europe & CSI decreased by 4%, in Asia by 13%, and in Latin America by 22%. Europe & CSI region has the largest share in Oriflame’s global sales (about 54%).
Due to the company’s challenging results in the past couple of years, “Oriflame is facing uncertainties as to its ability to continue”, the management stated in their quarterly report. These uncertainties were significantly reduced by the recent recapitalization and also by the measures taken to drive positive business performance, they added.
As a new market, Oriflame expanded into South Africa in February.
For more information on Oriflame’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
USANA’s first quarter net sales were $250 million versus $228 million, representing year-over-year growth of 10%.
North Asia reported -12% Americas and Europe -9%, China -7%, and Southeast Asia Pacific -1% revenue growth. Regions’ shares in USANA’s global sales are on the left.
Hiya’s contribution on top these was $37 million, bringing USANA to a quarterly sales increase. The last quarter was the first full quarter of contribution from this business unit. Hiya is a direct-to-consumer provider of children’s health and wellness products that was acquired by USANA in December 2024.
“USANA is off to a solid start to the year as we continue to execute our growth strategy through our core direct sales business and our recently acquired direct-to-consumer business, Hiya. We are seeing encouraging signs in our direct sales business with net sales and Active Customers growing modestly on a sequential basis for the second consecutive quarter,” said Jim Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, and added, Hiya’s momentum remains strong and should continue building as their team executes their plans to launch several new products this year, unveil another strategic partnership, and expand to additional channels.”
Commenting on the trade policies and tariffs, management said their primary focus, for now, is on the potential tariff impact associated with importing certain raw materials from China into the U.S. and importing certain raw materials from the U.S. into China.
The company reiterated its 2025 revenue outlook as $920 million to $1.0 billion. This outlook includes sales from the direct selling business of $775 to $840 million, and sales from Hiya of $145 to $160 million.
For more information on USANA’s 2025 first quarter performance, please click here.
…..
Written by Hakki Ozmorali, Founder of WDS Consultancy, a management consulting and online publishing firm in Canada. WDS Consultancy is the publisher of The World of Direct Selling. You can contact Hakki here.
SHARE THIS:
Leave a Reply