Hi, I use Google Alerts to tell me of any mention on the world wide web =20 of the word "leica" (except if it is associated with the words =20 "geosystems, microsystems, horse, derby, bred" because of the other =20 divisions of Leica in which I am not presently interested and an =20 Australian race horse named Leica). Today this item was reported, and I thought you may be interested. It =20= is from: http://www.financial.de/newsroom/news_d/86103.html Let us all hope the current contretemps about M8 IR filtering gets =20 put to bed quickly with little or no technical. sales, or financial =20 impact. All the best, Bill 21.11.2006 (19:21) Leica Camera AG / Half Year Results/Change of Personnel 21.11.2006 Ad hoc announcement according to =A7 15 WpHG transmitted by DGAP - a =20 company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the =20 content of this announcement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------=20= --- In the first six months of the current fiscal year, i.e. until =20 September 30, 2006, the Leica Camera AG Group (ISIN DE000A0EPU98) =20 registered sales growth of 8 %, to EUR 51.9 million. Sales in the =20 camera segment were increased by 17.3 %, to EUR 25.4 million, based =20 on the existing range of analogue and digital products. Sales of the =20 Leica sports optics products decreased by 4.4 %, to EUR 11.4 million, =20= chiefly due to consumer restraint in the North American market. The Group's net loss for the six-month period came to EUR -4.2 =20 million, which is EUR 1 million less than for the comparable prior =20 year period. This improvement has been achieved in spite of the =20 operating result being burdened by an additional EUR 2 million in =20 comparison to the same period of the previous year. The additional =20 expenses referred to the cost of the bi-annual photokina trade fair, =20 advertising cost for an international campaign and start-up =20 expenditure for the new digital products. The Group expects profits =20 in the second half of the fiscal year since sales will be =20 proportionally higher due to seasonal reasons and the measures =20 implemented in order to improve processes will gradually take hold. The second half of fiscal year 2006/2007 has begun with a positive =20 development of sales within the scope of our planning. The LEICA M8, =20 the first professional digital rangefinder camera, is to make a =20 significant contribution to the projected improvement of the Group's =20 economic position. The Group successfully presented the LEICA M8 at =20 the photokina trade fair in September 2006 and at the end of October =20 2006 international distribution of the product has already started, =20 one month earlier than previously announced. With the first phase of the turnaround process successfully =20 completed, Dr. Josef Spichtig, appointed interim Chairman of the =20 Board of Management of Leica Camera AG as from April 18, 2005, will =20 leave the Company's Board of Management effective at the end of =20 November 22, 2006. Steven K. Lee, appointed member of the Board of =20 Management on September 19, 2006, will lead the Company as sole =20 member in cooperation with the newly built-up management team for the =20= time being. The Supervisory Board is considering the possibility of =20 enlarging the Board of Management during the next few months. Dr. =20 Spichtig will be available for the Company in an advisory capacity as =20= occasion demands. At the end of the first phase of the turnaround process the Leica =20 Camera AG Group has defined measures to implement the start of a =20 phase of consolidation and simultaneously commenced implementation of =20= a growth strategy. Within the framework of this approach, there may =20 be burdens on the result of the current fiscal year or of the =20 following fiscal years due to capital expenditure undertaken to =20 secure the Company's future. Contact: Gero Furchheim +49(0)170-5881023 DGAP 21.11.2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------------=20= --- Language: English Issuer: Leica Camera AG Oskar-Barnack-Stra=DFe 11 =20 35606 Solms Deutschland Phone: 06442-208-450 Fax: 06442-208-455 E-=20 mail: gero.furchheim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx WWW: www.leica-camera.com ISIN: =20= DE000A0EPU98 WKN: A0EPU9 Indices: Listed: Amtlicher Markt in =20 Frankfurt (General Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, M=FCnchen, =20= Hamburg, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service ------------------------------------------------------------------------=20= --- ------ Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm Archives are at: //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/