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Business and Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jul. 04, 2026
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Business and Significant Accounting Policies Business and Significant Accounting Policies
Nature of Operations
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (“NVHI,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a holding company whose operating subsidiaries include its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, National Vision, Inc. (“NVI”) and NVI’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. We are a leading value retailer of eyeglasses and contact lenses in the United States (the “U.S.”). We operated 1,281 and 1,250 retail optical locations in the U.S. and its territories as of July 4, 2026 and January 3, 2026, respectively, through our four store brands, including America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses (“America’s Best”), Eyeglass World (“EGW”), Vista Optical locations on select U.S. Army/Air Force military bases (“Military”) and within select Fred Meyer stores. Additionally, we operate omni-channel websites for our America’s Best, Eyeglass World and Military brands, as well as a dedicated e-commerce website.
We also operate a specialized health maintenance organization (“HMO”) that is licensed as a single-service health plan under California law. The HMO issues individual vision plans in connection with our America’s Best operations in California.
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
We prepare our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and, therefore, do not include all information and disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to present fairly the Company’s consolidated results of the interim period.
Certain information and disclosures normally included in our annual consolidated financial statements have been condensed or omitted; however, we believe that the disclosures included herein are sufficient for a fair presentation of the information presented. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2026 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2026 (the “2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K”). The Company’s significant accounting policies are set forth in Note 1 within those consolidated financial statements. We use the same accounting policies in preparing interim condensed consolidated financial information and annual consolidated financial statements. There were no changes to our significant accounting policies during the six months ended July 4, 2026.
The condensed consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
The Company has consolidated certain entities meeting the definition of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) as the Company concluded that it is the primary beneficiary of the entities under the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation. As of July 4, 2026, the variable interest entities include 27 professional corporations. The total assets of the consolidated VIEs included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of July 4, 2026 and January 3, 2026, were $5.6 million and $4.6 million, respectively, and the total liabilities of the consolidated VIEs were $5.5 million and $6.9 million, respectively.
Fiscal Year
Our fiscal year consists of 52 or 53 weeks ending on the Saturday closest to December 31. Fiscal year 2026 contains 52 weeks and will end on January 2, 2027. Fiscal year 2025 contained 53 weeks and ended on January 3, 2026. All three and six month periods presented herein contain 13 and 26 weeks. All references to years and quarters relate to fiscal periods rather than calendar periods.
Seasonality
The consolidated results of operations for the three and six months ended July 4, 2026 and June 28, 2025, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year due to seasonality and uncertainty of general economic conditions that may impact our key markets. Historically, our business has realized a higher portion of net revenue, income from operations, and cash flows from operations in the first half of the year, and a lower portion of net revenue, income from operations, and cash flows from operations in the fourth fiscal quarter. The first half seasonality is attributable primarily to annual health insurance program start/reset periods. Seasonality related to fourth quarter holiday spending by retail customers generally does not impact our business. Our quarterly consolidated results generally may also be affected by the timing of new store openings, store closings, and certain holidays.
CARES Act
Accounts receivable, net on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 3, 2026 includes a $9.0 million receivable under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. During the six months ended July 4, 2026, the Company received the full payment of these CARES Act credits.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Severance Benefits
We recognized $0.1 million and $2.2 million during the three and six months ended July 4, 2026, respectively, and $2.1 million during the six months ended June 28, 2025, related to severance benefits for certain associates in the Corporate and other category within Selling, general and administrative expenses in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. These charges were recognized in accordance with FASB guidance on employers’ accounting for postemployment benefits and guidance on accounting for costs associated with exit or disposal activities, as appropriate. Refer to Note 11. “Restructuring” for information on employee termination benefits related to the Eyeglass World lab optimization initiative.
Stock-Based Compensation
During the six months ended July 4, 2026, we granted performance stock units to certain employees. The number of shares issued will be determined based on the level of achievement of predefined performance and market conditions, including adjusted operating income, return on invested capital, relative total shareholder return versus a peer group and an absolute total shareholder return feature, with a performance period of three years and a requisite service period of three to five years. We recognize compensation expense on performance stock units ratably over the requisite performance period of the award to the extent management views the performance goals as probable of attainment. We recognize compensation expense for the fair value of the relative total shareholder return versus the peer group component and the absolute total shareholder return component over the requisite service period of such awards using a Monte Carlo simulation.
Asset Impairment
We recognized $2.5 million of impairment charges during the three and six months ended July 4, 2026 related to the Eyeglass World lab optimization initiative, compared to $0.5 million of impairment charges related to tangible long-lived store assets and Right of Use (“ROU”) assets for the six months ended June 28, 2025. The impairments were recognized in Corporate and other, and are reflected in Asset impairment in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Refer to Note 11. “Restructuring” for information on the Eyeglass World lab optimization initiative and to Note 3. “Fair Value Measurement” for additional information on impairment charges.
Impairments of tangible long-lived store assets and ROU assets during the six months ended June 28, 2025 were primarily driven by lower than projected customer sales volume and profitability in certain stores and other entity-specific assumptions. We considered multiple factors including, but not limited to, forecasted scenarios related to store performance and the likelihood that these scenarios would be ultimately realized and the remaining useful lives of the assets.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate for the three months ended July 4, 2026 was 30.9%, reflecting our statutory federal and state rate of 25.1%, non-deductible compensation expense and the effects of other permanent items. Our effective tax rate for the six months ended July 4, 2026 was 27.8%, reflecting our statutory federal and state rate of 25.1%, non-deductible compensation expense, partially offset by the discrete benefit of permanent adjustments related to equity compensation.
Our effective tax rate for the three months ended June 28, 2025 was 28.7%, reflecting our statutory federal and state rate of 25.2% and effects of permanent items. Our effective tax rate for the six months ended June 28, 2025 was 32.2%,
reflecting our statutory federal and state rate of 25.2%, discrete effects of permanent adjustments related to equity compensation and other effects of permanent items.
Share Repurchases
Effective March 2, 2026, the Board authorized the Company to repurchase up to $50 million aggregate amount of shares of the Company’s common stock until December 28, 2030. During the three months ended July 4, 2026, the Company repurchased approximately 1.2 million shares for $20.0 million. As of July 4, 2026, the authorization has remaining capacity of $30.0 million.
Investments
During fiscal years 2023 through 2025, the Company completed a series of investments in an entity specializing in applying artificial intelligence-powered screening and diagnostic tools to retinal imaging, including $3.3 million in the equity of the entity, which was valued at cost, and $2.5 million in a convertible promissory note, which was valued using the fair value option. The investments were recognized in Other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and in Other within the investing section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, the investee entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which it would be acquired by the Company's co-preferred investor in the entity. The transaction closed during the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. In connection with the sale, the Company received cash proceeds of $3.3 million related to its equity investment and $2.5 million related to its convertible promissory note. Because the proceeds received were equal to the carrying values of the respective investments immediately prior to closing, no gain or loss was recognized on the transaction. Following the closing of the transaction, the Company no longer holds an investment in the entity.
IEEPA Tariff Refunds
On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ("IEEPA"). The President immediately introduced new tariffs under different statutory authority, though the scope, duration, and the likelihood and outcome of further legal challenges to these tariffs remain uncertain. On June 16, 2026, the Company filed a claim with U.S. Customs and Border Protection seeking refunds of approximately $4.8 million of IEEPA tariffs previously paid by the Company. As of July 4, 2026, the Company had not received any refunds related to the claim. Due to the uncertainty regarding the timing and amount of any refunds to be received, the Company has not recognized any potential IEEPA tariff refunds in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as of July 4, 2026. Subsequent to July 4, 2026, the Company has received refunds totaling approximately $0.9 million. The Company continues to monitor developments related to the refund process and the potential impacts on its financial condition and results of operations.
Adoption of Current Accounting Pronouncements
Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets. In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-05, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets. This update provides a practical expedient which allows an entity to assume that, for purposes of estimating expected credit losses related to an asset, current conditions as of a balance sheet date do not change for the remaining life of the asset. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this new guidance in the first quarter of 2026. The adoption of ASU 2025‑05 did not have a material impact on the Company’s allowance for credit losses or its consolidated financial statements.
Future Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements
Expense Disaggregation Disclosures. In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220-40): Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (“ASU 2024-03”). This update requires, among other things, more detailed disclosure about types of expenses in commonly presented expense captions such as cost of sales and Selling, general, and administrative (“SG&A”), and is intended to improve the disclosures about an entity’s expenses including purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation and amortization. ASU 2024-03 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Derivatives and Hedging. In November 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-09, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), to more closely align financial reporting with the economics of an entity’s risk management activities. The effective date for this standard is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied prospectively with an option to adopt the amendments for hedging relationships existing as of the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Intangibles - Internal-Use Software. In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-06, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), which updates the accounting guidance for internal-use software costs. The amendments remove references to software development project stages and align the guidance with current software development practices. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Interim Reporting. In December 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-11, Interim Reporting (Topic 270): Narrow-Scope Improvements (“ASU 2025-11”). The update provides clarifications intended to improve the consistency and usability of interim disclosure requirements, including a comprehensive listing of required interim disclosures and a new disclosure principle for reporting material events occurring after the most recent annual period. The amendments do not change the underlying objectives of interim reporting but are designed to enhance clarity in application. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and permits prospective or full retrospective adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on the consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
The FASB issued other accounting guidance during the period that is not currently applicable or expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements, and therefore, is not described above.