The latest news, analysis and data on corporate strategic initiatives, the latest mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, insolvencies and cooperations in the eyewear industry.
Essilux posts solid Q2 results, answers questions on Supreme, Meta
EssilorLuxottica has posted solid results for the first six months of 2024 with a continued mid-single-digit revenue progression in Q2, which was almost an exact duplicate of the Q1 performance, and gross and operating margin expansions. We cover the results in more detail in the second part of this article.
Mister Spex founder and CEO steps down, former Luxottica manager takes key role
Effective July 31, 2024, Dirk Graber, founder of German-based retail group Mister Spex, is stepping down from his role as CEO of the company after the supervisory board accepted his request to be relieved from his duties. The announcement, which comes only a few months after the departure of former ...
Meta reportedly in discussion to take a 5% stake in Essilux
On the day following the announcement of streetwear brand Supreme by EssilorLuxottica, both the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Meta was in talks to acquire a 5 percent stake in the Italo-French eyewear group. The news sent EssilorLuxottica’s share price back up after a 4.5 ...
Essilux mixes med-tech and streetwear in shopping basket
“As you understood, we love our origins a lot, based on frames and lenses, but the company is now taking a slightly different direction,” said Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica at the group’s shareholders’ assembly in April, replying to a question related to the potential acquisition of Marcolin. This was ...
Multiópticas changes its corporate structure
The Spanish chain Multiópticas is making the transition from cooperative to limited company, according to Modaes.
Backed by new investor, Vision Group aims for more acquisitions
London-based alternative asset manager ICG has agreed to purchase a 49.4 percent stake in the leading Italian eyewear retailer Vision Group as part of a management buyout, acquiring the roughly 46 percent stake held by former private equity group backer Arcadia along with shares from other unnamed investors.
Kirk & Kirk turns to crowfunding for marketing budget boost
Kirk & Kirk is about to complete a crowdfunding campaign for £150,000 (€177,000) by selling approximately 7 percent of company shares on Crowdcube, a crowdfunding platform focusing on European start-ups. Jason Kirk, CEO, and Karen Kirk, Creative Director, each hold 36 percent of the family business. At the date of ...
Fielmann more than doubles US retail footprint with new acquisition
Fielmann Group has announced that it has agreed to acquire 100 percent equity ownership of Shopko Optical, a US optical retail chain based in Wisconsin, through Fielmann USA, its subsidiary in the country. The transaction, for which the amount was not disclosed, is expected to become effective in the third ...
J.F. REY new owners look to balance brand DNA and changes while navigating supply chain issues
Almost three years after the acquisition of J.F. REY by a Franco-German trio of investors including Dan Levi and Ralf Kmoch of Visibilia, and Walter Pirinoli of Visioptis, we sat down with the French executive to discuss the evolutions and future strategic orientations of the Marseille-based designer eyewear brand.