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National Vision reports improved performance in Q4, reshuffles top management
Sales were up by 3.8 percent in Q4 and in the full year. Adjusted profit ratios are expected to be in line with last revised outlook.
ZEISS Group reports 8% revenue hike but lower margins for fiscal 2023/24
The German group revenue uptick was largely driven by its semiconductor business as all other segments slowed down.
How brick-and-mortar focus and vertical integration are driving JEH profitability
Upgrading its full-year outlook, the Japan-based retail group is now forecasting a 19 percent topline growth and a 31 percent operating margin. We ask JEH’s CFO about the drivers behind the group’s fast growth.
Carl Zeiss Meditec posts revenue and margin declines for fiscal 2023/24
Carl Zeiss Meditec has reported revenue of €2,066.1 million for its 2023/24 fiscal year, down by 1.1 percent in reported terms versus 2022/23. In constant currencies and adjusted from the effects of the acquisition of DORC, a company specializing in retinal surgery, total sales declined by 4.8 percent.
ZEISS looks for innovation in product, processes and business models to support commitment to global eye health
In December last year, ZEISS Group reported that sales of its consumer markets division, of which vision care is the main component, rose by 3 percent year-on-year to approximately €1.7 billion. The company stressed that, despite “a noticeable reluctance on the part of customers to spend,” vision care sales generated ...
EssilorLuxottica’s M&A program gets an early start into the new year
EssilorLuxottica is acquiring Pulse Audition, a French-based startup specializing in AI-driven hearing-aid technology for smart eyewear.
Bliz Eyewear launches rebranding after EssilorLuxottica takeover
A specialist in sports eyewear, ski goggles and helmets, the Swedish brand Bliz Eyewear was acquired by the EssilorLuxottica Group in January 2024, joining the company’s sports portfolio and adding a new entry-level price point. This portfolio also includes the sports eyewear brands Oakley and Costa.
Bausch Health confirms it is exploring Bausch + Lomb sale
Pressed by the Canadian financial watchdog due to the high volatility of its stock price, Bausch Health has officially confirmed that it was actively looking at diversting its eye care subsidiary.
Kits CEO: “We are building an eyewear business for the customer of tomorrow”
On its Investor Day last September, Kits Eyecare concluded its presentation with a bold and somewhat cryptic claim: “Setting our sights on 500 in 5.” This made for an obvious first question when we had to opportunity to sit down with Roger Hardy, co-founder and CEO of the Canadian-based pure ...
Fittingbox adds 3D viewer function to virtual try-on
The French-based IT company Fittingbox is enhancing its virtual try-on (VTO) software with 3D Viewer, a new functionality that enables online eyewear shoppers to look at a frame from every angle, rotating it and zooming in and out on specific parts for a more detailed view. They can also switch ...
Zenni adds contacts lenses
Zenni Optical, the online eyewear retailer, has added contact lenses to its selection. So far it is selling contacts from CooperVision and Bausch + Lomb but promises more to come. Customers can make their purchases daily, bi-weekly or monthly. First-time customers for contacts will receive a discount of 20 percent ...
Two top-ten German optical retailers join forces to take over Edel-Optics
Optiker Bode and ROTTLER, two family-owned and historical optical retail chains respectively based in Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia, are joining forces to take over Edel-Optics, an online optical retail pionneer in both Germany and Europe. Founded in 2009, the company had filed for insolvency proceedings in February.
National Vision reports improved performance in Q4, reshuffles top management
Sales were up by 3.8 percent in Q4 and in the full year. Adjusted profit ratios are expected to be in line with last revised outlook.
Switching to a direct distribution model, Revo announces several appointments in Europe
As part of its switch to a direct distribution strategy worldwide, Revo has announced several appointments of seasoned managers in key European markets.
New report looks at US frames buyers criteria and habits
Focused inSights 2024: Frame Buyers, the latest report by The Vision Council, the US eyewear industry association, focuses on the motivations and choice criteria of US eye care professionals (ECPs) in their procurement of optical frames and sunglasses for their shop. The results are based on an online survey of ...
Sector market capitalization up 20% last year, boosted by Essilux
The total market capitalization of 25 stock-listed eyewear companies rose by 20 percent to €230 billion in 2024, with EssilorLuxottica and the rest of the Top 5 accounting for 90 percent of the growth.
UK optical retail market still below pre-COVID level, GfK finds
According to a GfK market report commissioned by the UK’s Optical Suppliers Association (OSA), the number of optical frames sold by optical retailers in the country is on track to reach 12 million units this year, with an average retail price of £78 (€95). “They have never recovered to pre-Covid ...
The Baltic eyewear market rebounds, but long-term outlook is vague
The eyewear market in the Baltic countries has significantly rebounded after a dip in 2020, with large retail groups increasing their market share. However, challenges related to the region’s depopulation remain.