Capital Increase Reserved for Employees
Charenton-le-Pont, France (December 9, 2016 - 6:00 p.m.) - At the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of May 11, 2016, Essilor International's Board of Directors was given a 21-month authorization to issue shares to members of Essilor employee stock ownership plans (12th resolution). The maximum number of common shares authorized for issuance was set at 3,271,448, representing no more than 1.5% of capital stock.
At its meeting on December 6, 2016, the Board of Directors decided to use this authorization to issue up to 360,000 common shares for subscription by members of the Essilor / BBGR / Novacel Ophtalmique / Novisia / BNL Eurolens / Delamare Sovra / EOMC / DAC Vision / Transitions Optical Distribution Ltd employee stock ownership plans. The new shares will carry rights as from January 1st, 2016. They will be offered at a price of €79.98 per share, corresponding to the average of the opening prices quoted over the last twenty trading days preceding the Board's December 6, 2016 decision to issue the shares, less a 20% discount.
The purpose of this offer is to associate the Company's employees with its development by allowing them to become shareholders of Essilor. The shares may be purchased through two funds. These funds have been given a specific value since January 1st, 2016, the start date of the subscription period. The closing date of the subscription period is December 8, 2016. The actual number of shares issued will be announced on December 23, 2016 and the Company will then apply for the new shares (par value: €0.18) to be listed on Euronext Paris.
The Company's capital stock amounts to €39,257,375.22, represented by 218,096,529 shares.
About Essilor
The world's leading ophthalmic optics company, Essilor designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of lenses to improve and protect eyesight. Its mission is to improve lives by improving sight. To support this mission, Essilor allocates more than €200 million to research and innovation every year, in a commitment to continuously bring new, more effective products to market. Its flagship brands are Varilux®, Crizal®, Transitions®, Eyezen(TM), Xperio®, Foster Grant®, Bolon(TM) and Costa®. It also develops and markets equipment, instruments and services for eyecare professionals.
Essilor reported consolidated revenue of more than €6.7 billion in 2015 and employs 61,000 people worldwide. It markets its products in more than 100 countries and has 32 plants, 490 prescription laboratories and edging facilities, as well as five research and development centers around the world. For more information, please visit www.essilor.com.
The Essilor share trades on the Euronext Paris market and is included in the Euro Stoxx 50 and CAC 40 indices.
Codes and symbols: ISIN: FR0000121667; Reuters: ESSI.PA; Bloomberg: EI:FP.
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