Leica's 1st-half net profit rises to DM1.9m

[ATANOVIC@genre.com]

          This off this morning's financial newswires:

          Solms, Germany, Nov. 14  -- Leica Camera AG said it returned a
          net
          profit in the first-half of fiscal 1997, even though the
          integration of the
          new Minox camera business brought on an operating loss for the
          group
          as a whole.  Net profit was up to 1.9 million DM in the fiscal
          year through
          Sep. 30, from a loss of 2.1 million in the year-earlier period.
          The first-
          half operating loss came after deducting 1.7 million marks in
          costs for
          integrating Minox.  Excluding Minox, the company had an operating
          profit of 1 million DM.  Pretax profit, including one-time gains
          from the
          sale of licenses to the parent company Leica AG of Switzerland,
          grew
          to 4.7 million marks in the first half, compared to a loss of 2.3
          million
          marks a year earlier.

          The company said sales of its products in the 6-month period rose
          to
          98.5 million marks from 96.5 million marks.

          Adrian Tanovic
          Tokyo