National Vision Associates Ltd. Reports 26.5 Percent Increase in Net Sales

Business Wire, Oct 30, 1997

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 1997--National Vision Associates, Ltd. (NASDAQ: NVAL) today announced sales results for the four weeks ended Oct. 25, 1997.

Total net sales for the four-week period increased 26.5 percent to $15.2 million from $12.1 million in the year-ago period. Comparable store sales (sales in vision centers open for a full year) for domestic vision centers increased 9.0 percent over the level recorded in the same period a year ago. At Oct. 25, 1997, NVAL operated 434 vision centers compared to 337 vision centers at Oct. 26, 1996.

For the fiscal year-to-date period, total net sales were $150.0 million, an increase of 12.2 percent over sales of $133.6 million for the comparable period a year ago. Year-to-date comparable store sales for domestic vision centers increased 6.5 percent.

Midwest Vision was acquired by National Vision Associates, effective Oct. 1, 1997 and operates 51 retail optical stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and North Dakota.

Net sales and vision center count information includes Midwest Vision for the period subsequent to the acquisition date.

National Vision Associates Ltd. is a leading provider of eyecare products and services in host department stores in the United States and Mexico.

CONTACT: National Vision Associates Ltd., Lawrenceville

Sandra Buffa, 770/822-4285

Web page address: www.nationalvision.com