Essilor to Buy FGX for $565 Million

France’s Essilor International, a maker of prescription lenses, will pay about $565 million to acquire FGX International Holdings. The transaction price represents $19.75 per FGX share, an Essilor statement says, and includes repayment of about $100 million of the Rhode Island company’s net debt. FGX produces nonprescription reading glasses, which is a growing market, Essilor says. The transaction is expected to close next year. FGX reported 2008 revenue of $256 million, mainly in Canada and the U.S.