Essilorluxottica soars as smart-glasses sales with meta drive record growth

EssilorLuxottica reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter sales, fueled by booming demand for its smart-glasses collaboration with Meta Platforms, pushing the eyewear giant’s stock to a record high. Shares rose as much as 10% in Paris, the biggest jump since March 2020, after investors cheered results that confirmed consumers’ willingness to pay premium prices for connected eyewear.

Sales rose 11.7% at constant exchange rates to €6.87 billion ($8.02 billion), beating analysts’ expectations of 8.5% growth. Chief Financial Officer Stefano Grassi highlighted that wearable technology made a major contribution to results, driven by the September launch of a new generation of AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta and Oakley Meta glasses. “We’re building a brand-new category,” Grassi said, describing smart glasses as “a true platform device.”

Chairman and CEO Francesco Milleri credited the strong quarter to “booming wearables and solid momentum across vision care and sunglasses,” adding that the company enters the final months of the year with “a clear ambition to drive lasting transformation.”

The results mark a significant step in EssilorLuxottica’s strategy to expand beyond traditional eyewear into wearables and medical technology. The company is deepening its presence in myopia management, an emerging segment aimed at slowing nearsightedness progression, and strengthening its professional solutions division.

To reinforce its innovation pipeline, EssilorLuxottica recently announced the acquisition of RetinAI, a Swiss startup specializing in AI and data management for eyecare. The deal follows earlier 2025 acquisitions, including a unit of South Korea’s PUcore Co., which develops contact lens materials, and Optegra, an eyecare group with over 70 clinics across Europe.

According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the sales beat — about 3% above expectations — may ease concerns over EssilorLuxottica’s ambitious Ebit margin goals, with AI glasses contributing over 400 basis points to growth. Analysts noted continued sales strength in both the US and Europe early in the fourth quarter.

While the Meta partnership generated around €365 million in revenue in 2024, Barclays estimates the figure could reach €800 million in 2025 and potentially exceed €6 billion by 2030. The bank expects the smart-glasses market to expand dramatically — from roughly 3 million units annually today to 60 million by 2035 — positioning EssilorLuxottica at the forefront of the next evolution in connected eyewear.