Revlon Joins Legal Challenge to Reclaim Tariff Payments

REV US7495271071

Cosmetics giant Revlon has initiated legal action against the U.S. government. The company, alongside other major corporations, has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade. The collective action seeks to recover millions in tariff payments levied during the previous presidential administration, representing a strategic move to recapture capital.

The outcome of this legal effort is entirely contingent on a forthcoming decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court is currently reviewing the case V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump, which questions whether the president had the legal authority to impose the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

• Oral arguments in the matter were heard on November 5, 2025.
• Plaintiffs contend that the IEEPA does not grant the executive branch the power to collect these specific duties.
• The total tariff revenue in question across all affected companies amounts to approximately $90 billion.

Revlon's filing is fundamentally a protective measure. Should the Supreme Court rule the tariffs invalid later in 2026, this preemptive lawsuit ensures the company's right to claim a refund is legally preserved.

A Strategic Race Against the Clock

The timing of the complaint is driven by a critical regulatory deadline. Under U.S. customs law, once an entry is finalized or "liquidated," an importer's right to seek a potential refund is extinguished.

For Revlon and numerous other plaintiffs—including Costco, which filed its own suit on November 28—this liquidation process is set to begin around December 15, 2025. By filing now, Revlon aims to safeguard its legal claim for repayment before this window closes. Any delay would likely forfeit the opportunity for recovery, regardless of the ultimate legal assessment of the tariffs' validity.

The Broader Stakes for Revlon

For Revlon, this litigation represents an active effort to manage balance sheet liabilities. The focus is on a potential capital recovery, though the success of this endeavor hinges wholly on the Supreme Court's interpretation of federal emergency powers law. The U.S. Court of International Trade must now administer these precautionary claims as the business community awaits the definitive ruling from the nation's highest court.