Warby Parker (WRBY) Stock Explodes On Google Partnership: What's Going On?

Shares of Warby Parker Inc (NYSE:WRBY) jumped 15.9% to $20.38 on Tuesday afternoon after the company announced a strategic partnership with Google. The deal includes up to $150 million in total support from Google, split between an equity investment and funding for product development and commercialization.

What To Know: The collaboration aims to create AI-powered smart glasses designed for all-day wear, blending Warby Parker's signature eyewear design with Google's advanced technology and Android XR platform.

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

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"Multimodal AI is perfectly suited for glasses," said Warby Parker Co-CEO Dave Gilboa, emphasizing the potential of wearable AI to enhance users’ daily interactions.

Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal added that the partnership reflects a shared vision of merging design, utility, and innovation to elevate everyday experiences.

Google's commitment includes $75 million toward product development and an additional $75 million in optional equity investment, contingent on milestone achievements.

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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 $20.38 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 4.91 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.

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