Essilor acquires Stylemark,
a leading US distributor of non-prescription glasses

 
 

Charenton-le-Pont, France (December 14, 2011) – FGX International, an Essilor US subsidiary, has completed the acquisition of all outstanding shares in Stylemark, one of North America's foremost designers and distributors of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses.
Based in Ormond Beach, Florida, Stylemark employs approximately 340 people and generates around $140 million in annual revenue in North America. Each year, it sells more than 30 million readers and sunglasses in nearly 30,000 retail outlets, mainly in the food, mass retail, drugstore and department store segments. It boasts a large portfolio of licensed brands, including Nine West®, Dockers®, Reebok®, Hello Kitty® and various Disney® properties.
The acquisition will enable FGXI to add new customers, consolidate the two companies' business and enter the fast-growing department store segment. The expanded business will also enhance the efficiency of its supply chain.
The Stylemark acquisition is fully aligned with the strategy launched two years ago, with the purchase of FGX International, to extend Essilor's offering of eye health solutions, particularly in the presbyopia segment. "There are 2.4 billion people in the world who need corrective eyewear but don't wear any," said Hubert Sagnières, Chief Executive Officer of Essilor. "By strengthening our positions in the non-prescription reading glass market, we are speeding our expansion in a fast-growing segment and giving ourselves additional means to develop a high-quality offering of affordable eyesight correction solutions for a wide range of people around the world. In addition, Stylemark's expertise in sunglass frame distribution will enable Essilor to effectively meet growing demand for eye protection solutions."
The transaction will be financed using Essilor's existing credit facilities. Based on current estimates, it is expected to be neutral to earnings per share in 2012 and accretive starting in 2013.

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About Essilor

The world’s leading ophthalmic opticals company, Essilor designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of lenses to improve and protect eyesight. Its corporate mission is to enable everyone around the world to access lenses that meet his or her unique vision requirements. To support this mission, the Company allocates around €150 million to research and development every year, in a commitment to continuously bring new, more effective products to market. Essilor’s flagship brands are Varilux®, Crizal®, Definity®, Xperio®, Kodak® and Foster Grant®. It also develops and markets equipment, instruments and services for eyecare professionals.

Essilor reported consolidated revenue of more than €3.9 billion in 2010 and employs 42,700 people in around 100 countries. It operates 14 plants, 332 prescription laboratories and several research and development centers around the world. For more information, please visit www.essilor.com.

The Essilor share trades on the NYSE Euronext Paris market and is included in the CAC 40 index.

 

Codes and symbols: ISIN: FR0000121667; Reuters: ESSI.PA; Bloomberg: EI:FP.

 

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