GrandVision plans IPO after ‘incredible’ growth

Vision Express parent company GrandVision has announced plans to float on the Amsterdam stock exchange – predicting growth in the global optical market.

The initial public offering would consist of a secondary offering of 20-25 per cent of the shares by GrandVision’s founding shareholder HAL Optical Investments, a statement said.

Announcement the IPO this week, GrandVision said it expected the optical retail market to continue to expand due to a growing and ageing global population, under-penetration, and the emerging middle class.

GrandVision forecasted the global eyewear market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5 per cent over the period from 2014 to 2019, with highest growth anticipated in emerging markets.