New Owners for Salmoiraghi & Viganò

News was received today of the change in ownership of the Salmoiraghi & Viganò chain. De Rigo decided not to exercise its purchase option on the controlling share of 200 stores in Italy and overseas. Dino Tabacchi, formerly the controlling shareholder of Safilo, will take over 90% of S&V while the remaining 10% will go to minority shareholders. According to Il Sole-24 Ore, the move is estimated at 68.5 million Euros with the Salmoiraghi & Viganò group deemed to be worth 76 million Euros.

De Rigo was given a purchase option on the possible sale of S&V to third parties in February 2000, when it bought General Optica and sold the optical chain to a group of financial investors.