Luxottica Group expects Oakley sales to achieve double-digit growth for the seventh consecutive year in 2012 with a boost from the Summer Olympics and its online customization offer.


Oakley is the first-ever performance-based eyewear supplier to Team USA and released its Team USA eyewear collection in November. The five-piece line, which featured a Team USA logo laser etched on the corner of one lens, will be used by U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes during the games, which  July 27 through Aug. 12 in London.


Luxottica also expects sales through the Oakley Custom Program, which allows customers to order custom sunglasses on its website, to accelerate this year.


 Luxottica shared its outlook in a press release reporting its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 31, 2011. The Italian company reported sales at its Wholesale division, which owns the Oakley and Ray Ban  brands, rose 9.8 percent in 2011 to €2.46 billion. Operating income at the segment rose 14.6 percent to €529 million with an operating margin of 21.5 percent, up 80 basis points from 2010.


Sales at the LUX’s Retail division, which includes the LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut chains, reached €3.77 billion, up 5.7 percent from 2010. At Sunglass Hut, comp store sales grew by a record 8.7 percent worldwide. The division reported adjusted operating income (excluding one-time restructuring charges and other costs) of €488.7 million, up 5.7 percent from 2010 with an adjusted margin of 11.9 percent.


Companywide, Luxottica expects emerging market sales to grow 30 percent in 2012 up from 20 percent in 2011, when they accounted for about 22% of net sales for the Wholesale Division. The company thinks emerging market sales could reach 30 percent of the Wholesale business by 2015 with much of the grow coming from sales through its retail operations in Mexico, Latin America, China and India.


Retail and Wholesale sales are expected to climb between 5-7 percent and 15 percent respectively in North America.