Safilo Group S.p.A. (0NJ5.L) stock: Winston Score, insiders and Congress trades

Safilo Group is an Italian company that designs and makes eyewear — things like glasses frames, sunglasses, and sports goggles. It sells its products through opticians, department stores, and online retailers around the world. Safilo is one of the largest eyewear manufacturers in Europe and makes products under its own brands, such as Carrera and Smith, as well as under licenses for fashion brands like Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger. The company earns money mainly by selling finished eyewear to wholesale customers, who then sell to consumers. Safilo operates globally, with most of its revenue coming from Europe and North America, and it manufactures in Italy, Slovenia, and China. Its licensed brand portfolio gives it access to well-known names, but those licenses must be regularly renewed, and losing a major one — as happened when Dior ended its agreement in 2020 — can meaningfully hurt revenue. Growing its own brands and reducing dependence on third-party licenses is the key strategic challenge going forward.