The Italian group LUXOTTICA (turnover of ITL 4,680 billion in 2000) launched a friendly USD 462 million take-over bid over the American sunglasses distributor SUNGLASS HUT (turnover of USD 654 million in the financial year at the end of October 2000 with 2,500 stores) on the basis of USD 11.5 per share. To this amount is added a debt recovery of USD 191 million.