[Leica] Leica Camera Solms: serious decline in sales

[leica at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig)]

Looks like Leica really needs to release new products at Photokina, as they 
lost 38% in sales in the first 2008 quarter. 

The sales of the Panaleica compacts, which helped for a good 2007 result, 
broke down, as it is to be expected in a market with such short product 
lifecycles. Higher expenses in the research dept. reduced the income as well 
as the delay of several product launches. 

They hope that the products, which will be announced at photokina, will help 
for better 2009/2010 sales.

But when I see their rather thin financial bandwidth, I don't believe they 
have the money to develop really revolutionary innovations. The competitors 
will probably flood the photokina with new fullframe bodies and a lot of new 
fast primes and keep Leica dancing.

http://tinyurl.com/5s753m (german article)

Didier