andybarton Posted October 19, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 19, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) With today's news/"]news[/url], what does anyone know about them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Hi andybarton, Take a look here Blackstone. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
christer Posted October 19, 2011 Share #2 Posted October 19, 2011 Blackstone – Leading Investment and Advisory Firm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbertnl Posted October 19, 2011 Share #3 Posted October 19, 2011 Berkeley Square .... just around the corner ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arminw Posted October 19, 2011 Share #4 Posted October 19, 2011 In the German Forum they don't speak very highly of this company . If it's true then this could be a bad move for leica indeed . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted October 19, 2011 Share #5 Posted October 19, 2011 Good job we don't all subscribe to the Milliband (nursery) school of economics. This inward investment can only be a good thing. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuny Posted October 19, 2011 Share #6 Posted October 19, 2011 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! . Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! . ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/164409-blackstone/?do=findComment&comment=1820925'>More sharing options...
cocker Posted October 19, 2011 Share #7 Posted October 19, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Blackstone were the "owners" of Southern Cross Healthcare Group. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Holy Moly Posted October 19, 2011 Share #8 Posted October 19, 2011 the news about Olympus are much more severe: Olympus stock down almost 50%, disappearing Cayman Islands offshore accounts, organized crime acquisitions… | Photo Rumors Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted October 19, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 19, 2011 The good news is it's new investment. The bad news is, IMHO, they will be looking for the maximum return on their investment, most likely above all else, whatever that means for the business as we know it today. It's not too difficult to imagine an outside investor wanting to maximize the brand, so maybe we will see many more cheap Leica branded digicams down the line. I would suggest that a stronger wind of change will be blowing through Solms in the coming years. Is this part of an exit strategy by Dr Kauffman? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted October 19, 2011 Share #10 Posted October 19, 2011 They went through different storms in the past, hopefully there it is only some wind to come and no stony blackurricanes. Black grasshoppers, the bad news is: >40% is quite a lot. And there are many more dollars floating around searching for shares. Best GEORG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
larsv Posted October 19, 2011 Share #11 Posted October 19, 2011 I'm not sure that Blackstone is the investor, as the release states funds wille acqui a stake and they are advised by Blackstone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ho_co Posted October 19, 2011 Share #12 Posted October 19, 2011 German-language report: Auf zu neuen Ufern: Blackstone steigt bei Leica ein - n-tv.de If I read this right, Dr Kaufmann required a cash investment, no credit or other instruments. And the price he got seems to be above current market value. Very canny guy (obviously, to have made his fortune ). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 19, 2011 Share #13 Posted October 19, 2011 I think this is a move to re-establish the regular listing of Leica stock, which today is listed only "in theory" (the floating shares are a ridicolusly low %) : is a typical biz of entities like Blackstone... buy "privately", show some quarters of good Company results, "float" in the stock market with a good return: a strategy that can work well if managed with care... I think that the future statements of Leica quarterly results will have to be read with close attention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adli Posted October 19, 2011 Share #14 Posted October 19, 2011 My best guess is that this will increase the likelyhood of a redsign of the M platform aiming at redusing production cost and increasing volumes. If this is good or bad is a different issue. Anyway, it will be naive to think that Blackstone don't have any thought on how to reshape Leica and / or its product line to create shareholder benefits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 19, 2011 Share #15 Posted October 19, 2011 The involvement of a private equity outfit like Blackstone will only end in tears for somebody. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted October 19, 2011 Share #16 Posted October 19, 2011 We are talking about Blackstone, not Blackwater... Ignore Ed. They are producers not predators. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted October 19, 2011 Share #17 Posted October 19, 2011 Blackstone snaps up stake in Germany's Leica Camera | Reuters Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucek Posted October 19, 2011 Share #18 Posted October 19, 2011 I wonder if this is Dr. Kaufmann's means of getting the money necessary to build the new Leica facility? At the recent LHSA meeting in Pittsburgh PA he said that the development of the Leica facility was delayed in order to redesign it and make it larger. That effort is to be concluded by the end of next month I believe. He said that he went to a bank for a loan and the bank said "Fine, so long as you give us the same amount as collateral" (I'm paraphrasing). So maybe this is construction money... Bruce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted October 19, 2011 Share #19 Posted October 19, 2011 Blackstone clearly liked the turnaround in results this year over last, and probably likes the management team and product lineup that achieved these results. The Kaufmann family likely thought that selling some of the company is a good way to get some diversification of their assets, while maintaining the management control that has added so much value since the problems of the mid 2000s. It is not clear what value a private equity company can bring to the operations. I doubt that Blackstone has any lens designers who are very competent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted October 19, 2011 Share #20 Posted October 19, 2011 It's likely Dr Kaufmann will have done well out of his investment. Figures are not being disclosed but it seems unlikely he got less for the 44% they've bought than he paid for the whole company originally. Good news for investment of course, bad news because, as James says, they will milk the brand for what they can get and it remains to be seen whether they can refrain from transatlantic meddling. The statement that ACM does not intend to sell any shares and the comfort words from Blackstone are there to reassure but it's easy to see a conflict between excellence and the quick buck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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