Luxury Figures

EssilorLuxottica Exceeds Expectations in the Third Quarter

By Eva Morletto21 octobre 2026

Despite the challenging economic climate, some market players are still managing to thrive. This is the case for EssilorLuxottica, which confirmed its strength in its latest financial results released on October 20, 2026.

The Direct-to-Consumer segment of EssilorLuxottica, which includes the group’s retail networks, grew by 10.6% (Shutterstock)

The EssilorLuxottica Group, led by Francesco Milleri, reported revenue of 7.486 billion euros in the third quarter of 2026, up 9% year-over-year, or 7.2% at constant exchange rates. The results exceeded the €7.36 billion forecast by financial analysts. Over the first nine months of the year, the Franco-Italian giant’s sales reached €22.304 billion, up 6.8% compared to the same period the previous year.

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Direct-to-Consumer Sales: The Growth Engine

Growth is driven primarily by direct-to-consumer sales. The Direct-to-Consumer segment, which includes the group’s retail networks, grew by 10.6%. In contrast, the Professional Solutions division, which serves optical professionals, slowed compared to the double-digit growth recorded in 2025 and stabilized at a 3.4% increase.

Meta Glasses: A Fruitful Partnership for the Group

Beyond its iconic Ray-Ban and Oakley brands, EssilorLuxottica continues its technological push. The smart glasses developed with Meta, along with Nuance Audio hearing devices, generated 486 million euros in revenue for the quarter, accounting for nearly 6.5%.

In September 2026, they unveiled a new generation of Gen 3 glasses designed with Muse artificial intelligence (currently available only in the United States) as well as Ray-Ban Meta Audio, a camera-free version of the smart glasses. The two companies aim to offer more than 100 different models by the end of the year.

Nuance Audio Plus: A New Step in the Group’s Diversification

The group is also accelerating its diversification into healthcare, notably with Stellest lenses designed to slow the progression of myopia in children and the mid-September launch of Nuance Audio Plus, a new generation of glasses featuring built-in hearing aids.

This strategy reflects a broader ambition: EssilorLuxottica wants to move beyond the traditional eyewear market to become a global player in visual health. This positioning could represent a strategic head start in the smart glasses market, in the face of growing competition from global tech giants.

Key Points:

- EssilorLuxottica exceeded expectations in the third quarter of 2026, with revenue of 7.486 billion euros, up 9% year-over-year.

- Smart glasses and Nuance Audio devices generated 486 million euros in quarterly revenue, representing nearly 6.5% of the group’s total revenue.

- The group is accelerating its diversification into vision and hearing health, notably with Stellest lenses designed to slow the progression of myopia in children and the launch of Nuance Audio Plus, which incorporates hearing assistance.

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