The eyewear group EssilorLuxottica benefited from high demand in Europe and the strong dollar in 2022. Sales increased by around 14 percent to 24.5 billion euros, as the manufacturer of Ray-Ban glasses announced on Thursday in Charenton-le-Pont. Adjusted for currency effects, revenue increased by almost eight percent.
The Group achieved one of the highest growth rates in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), where adjusted revenue increased by eleven percent. Only in the Latin America region, which is much smaller in terms of business, did sales grow a little more. The surplus increased by almost a quarter to 2.9 billion euros. The dividend is to be increased by 29 percent to EUR 3.23 per share, more than experts had expected. The share price fell anyway.
The dividend surprised positively; the details of the figures, on the other hand, are not – even if expectations for sales and the operating margin were met. The share, which is listed in the EuroStoxx 50 selection index for the euro zone, fell by around three percent in early trading. According to a study by the investment house Jefferies, business did not develop as well at the end of the year as some analysts had expected. In addition, there was only confirmation of the medium-term goal and no concrete forecast for 2023.
EssilorLuxottica is best known for its eyewear brands Ray-Ban, Burberry, Oakly and Ralph Lauren. The comparative figures for the previous year include the Dutch optician Grandvision, which owns the German chain Apollo. EssilorLuxottica took over the company in mid-2021. (dpa)