|
|
          |
|
MANAGEMENT'S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING Management of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (including its subsidiaries) (the "Company") is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Under the supervision of and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, the Company's management conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on the framework and criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, the Company's management has concluded that, as of June 30, 2006, the Company's internal control over financial reporting was effective. KPMG LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audits the Company's consolidated financial statements has issued its attestation report on management's assessment of internal control over financial reporting. That attestation report follows this report.
August 25, 2006
|
