Beauty giant Coty is facing lawsuits from David Beckham’s DB Ventures and Nautica, both owned by Authentic Brands, alleging material breaches of licensing agreements, including claims that premium fragrances were mismanaged and sold in unauthorized outlets such as gas stations. The disputes hit Coty’s core fragrance business amid a 78% plunge in its shares over the past year, with interim CEO Markus Strobel under pressure to stabilize the company ahead of losing the Gucci license to L’Oréal in 2028 and the Beckham and Nautica brands to Interparfums. Despite recent growth in both lines, Coty expects third-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $100–$110 million, below forecasts, as it dismisses the claims and refocuses on core brands like Burberry and Kylie Cosmetics.

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