Luxottica posts record sales - FT.com Luxottica recorded its highest ever earnings in 2012 as the world's biggest premium eyewear manufacturer capitalised on booming demand for luxury frames across mature and emerging markets. Fourth-quarter net sales of €1.63bn were up 8.2 per cent from €1.51bn for the same period a year before. When the current exchange rate was taken into account, the sales rise was a narrower 5.1 per cent. The Italian company has invested heavily since 2010 in the expansion of its global retail operations and the acquisition of several smaller high-profile rivals including French brand Alain Mikli. Luxottica's consolidated net sales for the 2012 year were €7.09bn, up 13.9 per cent on a like-for-like basis, while North America and Europe saw regional gains of six per cent and four per cent respectively. The emerging markets posted growth of 26 per cent. The company has long benefited from a vertically integrated supply and distribution chain, however, Luxottica management insists its investment into new businesses, including travel retail, department stores and e-commerce helped improve results. "We have excellent growth opportunities since we operate in a young industry and have the chance to increase the overall penetration of our products in the international markets," said chief executive Andrea Guerra following Tuesday's report. He added some Luxottica businesses could expand by as much as 10 per cent in 2013 thanks to an ageing global population and surging consumer appetite in the emerging markets. The company partly funded the growth in its retail and wholesale divisions with a 33m share float in September 2012. Luxottica owns the Oakley and Ray-Ban brands and manufactures sunglasses and eyewear for some of the world's leading luxury houses including Prada, Giorgio Armani, Burberry and Tiffany & Co. Prestige optical frames have proven to be a rapidly growing sector in recent years, increasingly seen as a "statement accessory" comparable to scarves, shoes and handbags.