Profit gap highlighted

Business intelligence firm Plimsoll has found a widening gap between companies making profit and those losing money in the optical sector.

Analysis, made up of data from the UK's top 735 opticians, found that 304 had recorded losses, with 33 making record profits. Of those making losses, 157 were said to be considered as high risk and 156 were in the second year of recorded losses. Plimsoll said that on average, these companies had lost 2 per cent on sales, meaning for every £1 of sales, it cost them £1.02 to deliver. The 33 companies that recorded high profits were reported to have had 23 per cent profit margins - a figure said to be 'way above' the industry average. Nineteen were said to be operating debt free.