[Leica] Leica Solms reports 50% loss what does this mean?

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

First, there's an enormous difference between reporting a loss - Leica's
had losses for some time - and a loss equal to half one's market cap.
The first is bad news; the second is a real disaster;

Second, Mercedes is just a small part of Daimler (sp) Chrysler - not a
pseudo independent boutique company.

Third, if you want to talk about "creative" accounting, I'd suggest that
that's probably what kept the company afloat for the past several years;

Fourth, Leica isn't BMW, and they've got no Land Rover to sell off;

Fifth, I was told last night - and I cannot vouch for the accuracy of
this, that Herr Coenen is either actively going or gone. And I repeat, I
cannot vouch for the accuracy of that, but it would hardly be surprising
given this latest report.



-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Mark Rabiner
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 11:15 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica Solms reports 50% loss what does this mean? 


On 2/17/05 10:16 AM, "William G. Lamb, III"
<lambroving@worldnet.att.net>
typed:

> 
> Reality check.
> 
> Mercedes Benz is reporting a huge loss for the same period.
> 
> Rich people who buy high-end consumables have been in retreat for over

> a year. I know, I sell them.
> 
> LUG subscribers hardly typify the current buyers of new Leica gear, 
> professional or amateur. Same goes for most other listservs. People 
> who have $$$ to spend on Leicas are WAY too busy to read this banter.
> 
> If Leica followed the suggestions offered here and on other listservs,

> they would have been bankrupt ages ago.
> 
> Coenen probably has a pretty good idea where to take this little 
> company if he is given the chance. Remember, Leica, Solms is about the

> size of a large Home Depot or Tesco. 
> <http://www.zeitblende.com/reportagen/leica/>
> 
> People who are unfamiliar with "creative" German accounting practices 
> probably ought to avoid comment. Experienced a bit of this when BMW 
> sold off Land Rover.
> 
> Is anyone here interested in buying some new stuff and supporting the 
> company, or is the LUG just a place where ex-users come to moan and 
> discuss Canon digitals?
> 
> William
> 

I agree with all of William G. Lamb, III'rds above post. And THEN some!

When I was a teenager of 13 in 1965 I was just getting started shooting
the then Tri X at 800 with my new handed down Voigtl?nder Vito BL 35mm
rangefinder type camera and developing it in my darkroom with locally
made Acufine. I wanted to know if there was a way of getting less in the
picture. Zooming in more. I was told I needed a "telephoto lens". And to
get one I would need to get a Leica. But to not do so as everyone
clearly knew the company was going out of business by the end of the
year. I've heard that every year since. Year by year. Forty of them.

And on the lug about every 3 or 4 months.

Unfortunately the LUG has in good part become a place where people come
who no longer use their Leicas anymore to rationalize that. The "trolls"
have become the average thread. We get good stuff too.

Not on the other Nikon, Contax or whatever camera lists are you going to
find such high brow threads as: [Leica] What did Hermes pay for Leica in
2002? [Leica] Leica Solms LUG LHSA Buyout [Leica] Let's buy Leica Solms
et al

> Wasn't it in the $20M range and the prospects for Leica success have 
> declined since then...

> Your Leica M will STILL work in another 25 years? Assuming you can 
> locate film...

>  He said that a salesman at Keeble-Shuchat told him Leica was on the 
> "block" soon to be no more...Does this financial announcement from 
> Solms validate that comment?


However in these cases they came all all from a single very vocal, very
negative source.

All it takes to put a pall on a list is one.
I think we do have more than one.







Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/





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