L’Oréal, the world’s biggest cosmetics group, posted on Thursday higher-than-expected revenue growth for the fourth quarter, helped by a strong performance in China and by booming online sales during the coronavirus crisis.

The French owner of Maybelline said sales reached 7.88 billion euros ($9.56 billion) in the October to December period, flat from a year earlier on a reported basis but up 4.8 percent when stripping out currency effects and acquisitions.

By Sarah White