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EssilorLuxottica shares hit record high as Meta AI glasses fuel investor optimism

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Shares of EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA) soared 14% on Friday, reaching an all-time high and adding nearly $20 billion in market value, as enthusiasm over its AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses surged among investors.

The Paris-listed eyewear giant, founded by Leonardo Del Vecchio, reported third-quarter sales up 11.7% year-on-year to €6.9 billion ($8.1 billion), marking its strongest quarterly performance ever. The results exceeded analyst expectations, buoyed by growing demand for smart and wearable technologies.

Although the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses currently account for only a small portion of EssilorLuxottica’s total revenue, they have become a major growth catalyst. Chief Financial Officer Stefano Grassi said the AI-enabled glasses contributed over four percentage points to sales growth, prompting the company to expand production capacity ahead of schedule.

“The exponential growth of wearables provided an extra boost to top-line performance,” EssilorLuxottica said.

Barclays analysts predicted that smart glasses could become the most disruptive innovation since smartphones, forecasting sales of 60 million units globally by 2035.

The stock’s surge marked the biggest daily gain since 2008, lifting the company’s market capitalization to €126.5 billion and driving the Stoxx Europe Luxury 10 Index up more than 7% on the week.

Priced between $379 and $799, the latest Ray-Ban Meta models feature built-in displays and generative AI capabilities. Expansion to Canada, France, Italy, and the UK is planned for early 2026.

Analysts at J.P. Morgan called the glasses a “material growth driver,” while Equita raised its annual wearables forecast, estimating the category could contribute around €1 billion to sales this year.

EssilorLuxottica Shares Surge After Meta Acquires Nearly 3% Stake

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Shares of EssilorLuxottica (ESLX.PA), the Franco-Italian eyewear giant known for Ray-Ban, jumped 5.4% to 252 euros on Wednesday, becoming the top performer on the STOXX 600 index. The rise followed reports that Meta Platforms (META.O) acquired a nearly 3% stake in the company, valued at about 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion).

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, already partners with EssilorLuxottica on smart glasses production and is reportedly considering increasing its stake to around 5%. Neither company immediately commented on the transaction.

Analysts at Bernstein interpret Meta’s investment as a strong endorsement of EssilorLuxottica’s potential in the smart glasses market. The move builds on discussions between the two firms last year and signals deeper collaboration in wearable technology.

Earlier this year, Meta announced a partnership with Oakley, an EssilorLuxottica brand, to develop AI-powered smart glasses named “Oakley Meta HSTN.” These glasses feature a hands-free high-resolution camera, open-ear speakers, water resistance, and integrated Meta AI capabilities, marking an expansion beyond the successful Ray-Ban Meta glasses launched in 2023.

EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri has expressed ambitions to increase smart glasses production capacity and extend partnerships with Meta across more brands, highlighting the growing intersection of eyewear and artificial intelligence.

Meta Collaborates with Oakley to Launch AI-Powered Smart Glasses

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Meta (META.O) announced on Friday its partnership with sports eyewear brand Oakley to introduce AI-powered smart glasses, marking an expansion in Meta’s wearable technology lineup following the success of Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

The new product, named Oakley Meta HSTN, features a hands-free high-resolution camera, open-ear speakers, water resistance, and integrated Meta AI capabilities. The limited-edition glasses will be available for preorder starting July 11 at $499, with additional models priced from $399 launching later this summer.

Meta plans to release the Oakley Meta HSTN initially across North America, Australia, and several European countries, with further expansion to Mexico, India, and the United Arab Emirates expected by the end of the year.

The launch will coincide with major sports events this month, including Fanatics Fest and UFC International Fight Week, highlighting Oakley’s strong sports brand presence.

In the growing AI-powered wearables market, Meta faces competition from companies like Snap, which recently announced its consumer smart glasses “Specs” for release next year, and Google, which is also exploring similar technology investments.