Luxottica to join with Essilor in $70B merger of two eyewear giants

A global eyewear colossus worth almost $70 billion Canadian is set to be created as Italy’s Luxottica – owner of Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses – merges with France’s Essilor, owner of Crizal, Transitions, Clearly Contacts and other brands. Essilor said it had reached an agreement with Luxottica’s owners for an all-share deal to combine the two lens companies.