Re: Would you invest in [Leica]

[Jeffcoat Photography <jeffcoatphoto@sumter.net>]

To All: I spoke to the area rep for Leica, for what it's worth they are being
told the motor for the R-8 will be with us for christmas. Now wouldn't that be
nice under the tree. Also there is a new M (this is from the co.) and it is
bigger (taller that is than the M-6-different shutter) and will be aperture
priority and have a higher sync speed and the high mag viewfinder. but I think
everyone already knows this-right?
Cheers Wilber

Art Sala wrote:

> This has been an interesting post.  Consider the following:
> If the current stock price is below, at, or slightly above book value, buy
> it while it is still cheap and before sales in the asian markets come back.
>
> Either Leica will turn profits later, or more likely (as I have said here
> before), be acquired by a larger concern; either way, a likely good stock
> play.  The Leica name and its assets are too great to just fizzle away.
> Ditto with Vitra and the "classic" (and internationally known) furniture
> designs it has under license.
> It will be interesting to see how this new Leica Chairman does.  No R8
> motor since
> February????
>
> Cheers,
> Arturo
>
> ----------
> >Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 23:50:13 -0600
> >From: 4season <4season@boulder.net>
> >Subject: Re: Would you invest in [Leica]?
> >
> >The consensus that I've gotten on the matter of whether or not to invest
> >in Leica is a resounding "No!", at least not now. A reason cited a
> >number of times had to do with a perception that the company's future
> >growth potential seemed limited. As a shareholder, I figured I'd be in
> >the odd position of wanting management to turn Leica into a cash cow,
> >but as a photographer, maybe moaning over a flood of Leica-branded
> >"consumer" gear. I really have to wonder how other specialized optical
> >companies make it: Maybe Al Nagler and company at Televue (telescopes)
> >do it for love, rather than riches? Whatever the case may be, I hope
> >someday to be able to afford to invest in such ventures, simply for the
> >satisfaction of seeing something done really well :-)
> >
> >But for now, there are things I'd like to get, like a darkroom with a
> >roof and a few rooms around it. And radiant floor heating: Spending most
> >of February with cold feet is no fun! I'll see about growing a bit of
> >money with the help of the Legg Mason Value Trust and Berkshire
> >Hathaway, and maybe putting just a modest amount of money into something
> >more speculative, like Red Hat Software or VA Linux Systems. But
> >overall, I'm not looking to invest in tech stocks, except maybe through
> >a good mutual fund: 5 years is an eternity in the computer industry, yet
> >that that has been about the interval that I hang onto funds, and I have
> >no great urge to be nervously watching over my portfolio, when I should
> >be out photographing, or watching meteor showers and eclipses!
> >
> >Jeff
> >
> >------------------------------
> Comment :
> As an individual investing in Leica is risky but, if you are risk adverse,
> buy T-bonds.
> The future profits depend on the future of Leica Camera and the future of
> Leica Camera depends on the ability to innovate in new products.
> If we study the past, since 1988, we see that Leica Camera has 2 strong
> positions : M system with new lenses and binoculars.
> The 2 weak positions are : R-system and, now, digital products  where Leica
> has never been able to innovate (the S1 is not an innovation).
> The R8 camera is a "flop", a commercial disaster in France (300 sold in
> 1997-98, according to a french Leica rep, on a population of 9,000
> "prospects"= stock of individuals who have bought at least one time a Leica
> product  ).As Leica is a small company, such an error (no AF, no embodied
> motor, foolish price) could kill it.In France the "mise ŕ mort"(putting in
> death ?) of the R8 has been done recently by Chasseur d'images (700,000
> readers) : the R8 is included (with the mini3 and the minilux zoom) in a
> list of "50 products to avoid".
> The new chairman has been chosen because in the past he has rescued Vitra,
> a
> furniture company.When his strategic planning was announced in 2/99, the
> price of the share grew from 6 to 14.40 DEM in april. The market has fired
> a
> royal salute !If we observe the chart, we see an upward trend with 3
> troughs. So there were shareholders who earned money by speculating.
> Now the market is waiting for results and the trend is slightly downward
> with some peaks(if we believe in Elliott waves, it's time to buy...).
> I imagine that the new chairman has said to the R&D dpt : "you guys are
> going to have to buck your ideas up". But if the dpt is exhausted because
> they think, between 2 siestas, that Oskar Barnack is still  alive, the
> market will be cruel with Leica.
> My opinion is the same as André-Jean Quintal's (see his post).
> I strongly believe in Leica camera. Even the R8 is not a desesperate case.
> See the Canon EOS 1 :in the first years the sales were not wonderful among
> pros, according to Chasseur d'images.When new "L" lenses appeared, they
> boosted the sales of the cameras.If Leica launches AF lenses and a R9, in
> co-operation with Minolta, they'll be out off the woods.
>
> Dominique Pellissier