TOKYO—Hoya Corp. [Nikkei: 7741.T], based here, posted a 13.2 percent increase in net profit for its fiscal third quarter, primarily due to a strong performance by its vision care and health care units.

In consolidated results for the third quarter ended Dec. 31, 2007, Hoya generated a net income of 22,603 million yen. Net sales rose to 147,055 yen, a 48.6 percent increase over year-ago. Operating income rose 1.1 percent, to 27,525 million yen. Ordinary income was up 12.0 percent, to 22,603 million yen.

For its vision-care division, which manufactures eyeglass lenses, Hoya posted net sales of 31,561 million yen, a 7.8 percent increase over the year-ago period. Despite a continuing slump in the Japanese domestic market, Hoya made solid gains due to an expansion of the overseas market for eyeglass lenses. In particular, sales of newly designed progressive lenses, high-refraction lenses and other high-value added products in Asia-Oceania, Europe and North America and the markets remained firm, Hoya reported. There was an overall increase in the sales volume year-on-year in spite of tough competition due to a price offensive in low-end lenses.

Net sales for Hoya’s health care division, which manufactures contact lenses and operates retail shops, reached 11,501 million yen, up 25.4 percent from year-ago.

In contact lenses, Hoya said it will continue to pursue differentiation from competitors through expanded sales in bifocal lenses and other high value-added products. In intraocular lenses, flexible (soft) intraocular lenses, especially yellow-lenses, have been demonstrating robust performance in the market, recording an increase in sales volume year-on-year, according to Hoya.