7 Best Sunglasses Stocks to Invest in 2017

2. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT)

Surprisingly, Wal-Mart Stores Inc(NYSE:WMT) is a major player in the eyewear industry, and a potential threat to juggernauts like Luxottica due to its strong hold on the distribution channels. According to a report by Vision Monday, Walmart earned over $1.7 billion through eyewear sales in 2015. Most of the sales came from Walmart Vision Center, which comprises of about 3000 company’s own units. In 2015, Walmart opened some 263 new vision centers, where independent optometrists operate private offices and provide comprehensive eye exams, lens fitting, prescriptions and glasses recommendations. Walmart is America’s biggest producer of finished prescription eyewear. The company entered into the optical business in 1991, with a differentiating factor of providing value for money. At the end of the first quarter, 48 hedge funds in our database were long Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), compared to 54 funds a quarter earlier. The total value of the shares held by these funds is $3.879 billion.