Investopedia: Herbalife - Stealth Emerging Markets Play?

It doesn't matter how much doctors and nutritionists may decry supplements, they are popular and people want to believe in them. That has underpinned good growth in a sector with none of the patent worries of pharmaceuticals and minimal FDA interference. It has also led to solid stock market performance for traditional store-based retailers like Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE:VSI) and GNC (NYSE:GNC) as well as multi-level marketing firm Herbalife (NYSE:HLF). (For help on choosing stocks, check out How Investors Can Screen For Stock Ideas.)

Growth in a Bottle in Q2  
Herbalife continues to rack up impressive growth. Revenue rose 28% in the second quarter, with organic growth on the order of 20%. There are several metrics that investors can use to evaluate the underlying momentum of Herbalife's business and regional volume points is one of them. By this standard, volume rose more than 17% in the second quarter, with exceptionally strong growth in Asia-Pacific, Mexico, and Central/South America. Results in North America and Europe were more sedate (mid-single digit growth), while the China numbers were actually down about 9%. Overall reported revenue from China was flat, though. 


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