CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—Essilor International (Reuters: ESSI.PA) reported that operating profit climbed to €1.18 billion in the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, a 19.6 percent increase over 2014. Revenue rose 18.4 percent to €6.72 billion in 2015, or 4.6 percent on a like-for-like basis.

“Essilor has emerged stronger from 2015,” commented Hubert Sagnieres, chairman and chief executive officer of Essilor. “Our strategy of deploying into new vision care segments delivered faster like-for-like growth, which gained momentum throughout the year, and record high margins. The rising sales of our corrective lens and sunglasses brands, as well as the faster expansion in our online businesses, are bringing us closer to consumers, who are demanding better vision everywhere around the world. At the same time, new acquisitions and the introduction of new business models are strengthening our ties to eyecare professionals.

“Going forward, the structural growth in the optical market, our clear strategic vision and our highly motivated teams mean that Essilor is moving into 2016 with confidence and determination."

Essilor’s biggest business segment, lenses and optical instruments, generated €5.84 billion in revenue in 2015, up 17.5 percent from year-ago, or 4.8 percent like-for-like. In North America, Essilor’s largest market, the company generated €2.59 billion in revenue for 2015, up 26.9 percent, or 4.4 percent like-for-like, with sustained demand in the U.S. and Canada. In the U.S. market, Essilor said its lens volume rose sharply as the steady roll-out of consumer advertising campaigns spurred strong unit sales of Crizal, Transitions, Varilux and Xperio lenses. In addition, Essilor said that partnerships formed with two leading platforms for delivering services to independent optometrists—Vision Source and PERC/IVA—helped to broaden its presence in this fast growing optical products retailing segment.

Essilor also noted continued growth in demand from managed care organizations, in sales to independent labs and in the contact lens distribution business. Conversely, business with large optical chains was dampened by high prior-year comparatives, the company said. Essilor’s online sales climbed steeply overall, with robust growth at EyeBuyDirect and Frames Direct and a steady upswing in sales via the Coastal websites (Clearly in Canada, Coastal in the U.S. and Lensway in Europe).

In the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2015, Essilor reported revenue of €1.68 billion, up 14.4 percent from year-ago, or 5.3 percent like-for-like on the back of sustained strong lenses and optical instruments sales and a significant surge in sunglasses and readers sales. Reported growth was lifted both by the 3.2 percent contribution from acquisitions completed in the second half and by the 5.9 percent currency effect, Essilor said.

Sales of lenses and optical instruments in the fourth quarter climbed to €1.44 billion, up 12.8 percent, or 5.2 percent like-for-like. Sales of lenses and optical instruments in North America reached €632 million in fourth quarter, up 19.9 percent from year-ago, or 4.8 percent like-for-like.