The future isn’t set in stone, but MetaMETA

is planning to frame it beautifully with its next investment. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is exploring acquiring a ~5% stake (valued at $4.9B) in the world’s largest eyewear manufacturer and Ray-Ban parent company, EssilorLuxotticaESLOY

, and has already secured clearance from US antitrust authorities — sending the eyewear conglomerate’s shares up nearly 2%.

• In an April earnings call, Zuckerberg emphasized his optimistic outlook on smart glasses — stating that they are “one of the bigger areas” in Meta’s AR and VR initiatives.
• Meta and EssilorLuxottica are also planning to target younger consumers with branded smart sunglasses from Supreme, which EssilorLuxottica acquired this week for $1.5B.

More than what meets the eye: Being in the eyewear business isn’t too shabby, especially considering the high profitability in the industry that helps EssilorLuxottica generate earnings (before interest, tax, and depreciation) margins as high as 21%. But a slowdown in sales has prompted them to look beyond glasses and into complementary technology. This week, the company also announced the acquisition of an 80% stake in Heidelberg Engineering, which specializes in eye surgery technologies. Eyesight getting worse from doomscrolling IG? Try some Zuck-powered glasses… or eye surgery.