Essilor obtains unconditional U.S. antitrust clearance for combination with Luxottica

Client(s) Essilor International S.A.

Jones Day advised Essilor International S.A. as co-U.S. antitrust counsel in its proposed combination with Luxottica. Essilor is a leading manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses, while Luxottica is a leading manufacturer of eyewear (including Ray-Ban and Oakley brands), as well as retail operations (such as LensCrafters and Pearle Vision). The combined entity, EssilorLuxottica, will be an integrated global player operating across all segments of the eyewear industry.

In January 2017, Essilor and Delfin, the majority shareholder of Luxottica, agreed to combine their worldwide operations. The transaction requires merger control clearance in multiple jurisdictions, including in Europe, the United States, China, and Brazil.

On March 1, 2018, after an in-depth investigation, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission unanimously voted to close its investigation of the proposed combination.