Essilor reports soaring profits after sunglass lift

Essilor Group has reported 18% net profit growth to €757m for full-year 2015, thanks to strong sunglass sales and a ramped up online business.

Revenue for the 12 month period reached €6.7bn, a company statement said, which was an 18.4% increase on 2014.

Operations in Europe enjoyed a ‘markedly better year’ in 2015, with a 4.0% like-for-like gain, Essilor said.

Consumer marketing campaigns for its lenses ‘drove a noticeable increase in their unit sales’, including in the United Kingdom, it added, with investment of around €203m in consumer marketing campaigns across its global business base.

The company’s overall lenses and optical instruments division saw sales grow 4.8% during the period, with its sunglasses and readers division sales increasing 7.3%.