Luxottica Group Sells Its Minority Interest in Pearle Europe To HAL Investments

Luxottica Group Sells Its Minority Interest in Pearle Europe To HAL Investments ... Milan, Italy – January 5, 2005 - Luxottica Group S.p.A. (NYSE: LUX; MTA: LUX) announced that its subsidiary, Cole National Corporation, today sold all its shares in Pearle Europe B.V., representing approximately 21 percent of that company’s outstanding shares, to HAL Investments B.V., a subsidiary of HAL Holding N.V. (AEX: HTTCU), for a cash purchase price of €144 million (or approximately US$191 million calculated for convenience at the January 4, 2005 noon buying rate). HAL Investments holds