MILAN — EssilorLuxottica’s acquisition spree shows no signs of slowing.
The French-Italian eyewear juggernaut — which boasts a market cap of more than 131 billion euros — said Friday that it is acquiring Signifeye, a Belgian ophthalmology platform that operates 15 eye care centers and clinics in the Flanders region.
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Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but the transaction is expected to close by the end of the first quarter in 2026.
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The move confirms EssilorLuxottica’s big ambitions for its burgeoning med-tech division, which it has been beefing up with several acquisitions over the past two years.
The latest, carried out last May, saw the takeover of ophthalmology platform Optegra, which boasts 70 clinics in the U.K., Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and the Netherlands. The two acquisitions are seen as complementary.
“With Signifeye joining EssilorLuxottica’s ecosystem, we strengthen our ability to deliver truly end-to-end eye care and redefine what medical excellence can be across the entire patient journey,” said Francesco Milleri, chairman and chief executive officer of EssilorLuxottica, who holds executive powers alongside deputy CEO Paul du Saillant.
“By combining our medical and scientific innovation capabilities with Signifeye’s proven clinical excellence, we can meaningfully enhance the patient experience and empower people to live their best lives,” he added.
Signifeye offers mandatory ophthalmic treatments and elective vision procedures, covering the full spectrum of eye health care services.
“Joining forces with EssilorLuxottica and Optegra marks a transformative chapter for Signifeye. By combining their global leadership in vision care with our commitment to patient care and clinical excellence, we look forward to building the future of eye care together,” said Kathleen Moons, CEO at Signifeye.
As reported, in addition to Optegra and Signifeye, since July 2024 EssilorLuxottica has acquired the Italy-based Espansione Group, which specializes in the design and manufacturing of noninvasive medical devices, protected by international patents for the diagnosis and treatment of dry-eye, ocular surface and retinal diseases; it nabbed an 80 percent stake in Heidelberg Engineering, a German company that is a specialist in diagnostic solutions, digital surgical technologies and health care IT for clinical ophthalmology, and took over Ikerian AG, a health technology company specializing in AI and data management for eye care, which operates under the RetinAI brand.
In addition to bolstering its med-tech capabilities, the eyewear group has significantly strengthened its supply chain via M&A.
Last August, it revealed the acquisition of optical lens quality control player Automation & Robotics, following the earlier takeover of a division of the South Korean company PUcore, which specializes in the development, manufacturing and sale of monomers used in the production of ophthalmic lenses.
In addition to frames, lenses, medical instruments and science-backed eye care solutions, the group’s offer includes AI-powered innovative technologies and wearables, for which it has been ramping up its tech capabilities through acquisition.
Last year the company introduced its Nuance Audio brand, a convergence of eyewear and hearing aid devices. In January, it took over Pulse Audition, a French start-up that specializes in AI-powered noise reduction and voice sound enhancement to scale up its Nuance Audio technology.
The group established the dedicated Super Audio division in the summer of 2022 and finalized the acquisition six months later of Israeli company Nuance Hearing.
As reported, EssilorLuxottica’s revenues in the first nine months of 2025 were up 5.9 percent at current exchange rates to 20.89 billion euros. They jumped 8.8 percent at constant exchange rates.
Sales were up 6.7 percent in the third quarter, EssilorLuxottica said, to 6.86 billion euros, an 11.7 percent increase in comparable terms, driven by the EMEA and North America regions, direct-to-consumer business, as well as progress in the sunglasses, wearables and vision care segments.
In addition to its own brands ranging from Ray-Ban and Oakley to Persol, the group produces and distributes eyewear for brands spanning from Giorgio Armani, Brunello Cucinelli and Burberry to Chanel, Michael Kors, Moncler, Prada and Ralph Lauren, to name a few.