Safilo has today released preliminary figures for its 2005 financial year, recording revenue growth of 8.5 per cent to €1.02bn.
The strong results include good growth in licensed products (up 12.2 per cent) and an excellent performance in the Far East, where sales grew 20 per cent.
Prescription frames however saw a 0.7 per cent fall in revenue while sunglasses achieved 18.5 per cent growth to €527.7m.
The programme of retail openings of the company’s Solstice Sunglass Boutiques continues apace, which now has 55 outlets across the US with more opening each month.
Solstice stocks Safilo-made sunglasses alongside products from its competitors, including Luxottica and smaller players such as Oliver Peoples, Paul Frank and Blinde.
‘We are proud at having exceeded the €1bn threshold’ said Roberto Vedovotto, chief executive of Safilo Group. ‘The achievement of this additional and important goal allows the whole company to end 2005 with a strong sense of fulfilment.’
‘Our new collections continue, as ever, to be extremely well received both by opticians and the major retail chains and the most important department stores. The success of the new 2006 collections makes us confident about the year ahead.
‘Our brands, driven by the performance of Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Dior, Gucci and Valentino, have achieved considerable growth in all principal markets throughout the world, and in particular Asia and the USA where growth reached double figures.’