Evaluating Leica and Kodak is definitely an interesting exercise. When they re different by any stretch from the imagination, both rode the wave of photography through the twentieth century and, come age digital imaging, both happened. Kodak is beginning to leverage its IP and Leica finds a brand new wealth in the high-finish digitals.
But Kodak continues to be in the crisis period and Leica seems to become well past. A lot to ensure that they re selling nearly 1 / 2 of the organization to be able to create a large push in emerging marketplaces. What use emerging marketplaces have for $5000 cameras, clearly Leica knows much better than I.
44% of the organization was offered to Blackstone Group LP, which views it a medium- to lengthy-term investment. The cost wasn't revealed, however the Wall Street Journal cites a resource near to the matter who place the purchase at $179 million. If true, that will take their valuation just north of $400m. That s far in the $82m Andreas Kaufmann taken care of the nearly the whole company in 2004, however with $250m and yearly sales and $36m in net gain, it easily passes the smell test.
They ve proven steady growth during the last couple of years, but that s been mainly in Europe and also the US, marketplaces already acquainted with the company and, in most cases, quite wealthy. An investment by Blackstone gives Leica some capital to utilize in growing their business to Asia, the center East, and Latin America. Their plans weren't detailed beyond that.
That type of money will fuel research and growth and development of a completely new camera system. Is Leica signaling the M system will have a brand new brother or sister soon It ll be considered a while prior to the deal experiences and also the cash is used, however i d state that s a reasonably good wager.
[via Leica Gossips and PetaPixel]
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