Warby Parker (WRBY) Shares Surge On Google Smart Glasses Partnership: What's Going On?

Warby Parker Inc WRBY shares have jumped 18.7% this week to $20.52 following the announcement of a strategic partnership with Google.

What To Know: The collaboration aims to develop AI-powered smart glasses designed for all-day wear, combining Warby Parker’s design expertise with Google’s advanced technology and Android XR platform.

Google’s commitment to the project includes up to $150 million in total support, with $75 million allocated for product development and an additional $75 million in optional equity investment contingent on milestone achievements.

The first generation of these intelligent eyewear, available with both prescription and non-prescription lenses, is expected to launch after 2025.

Warby Parker Co-CEOs Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal highlighted the potential of multimodal AI in glasses to enhance daily interactions and elevate everyday experiences through a blend of design, utility and innovation.

Read Also: Lowe’s CEO Calls Out Near-Term Housing Market Challenges But Holds The Line On Outlook

How To Buy WRBY Stock

By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Warby Parker – be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.

Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of possible trading platforms here. Many will allow you to buy “fractional shares,” which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share.

In the case of Warby Parker, which is trading at $20.52 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 4.87 shares of stock.

If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to “go short” a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a stock can be found at this resource. Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading – either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.

According to data from Benzinga Pro, WRBY has a 52-week high of $28.68 and a 52-week low of $12.46.