[Leica] Re: The "demise" of xyz camera

[jls at runbox.com (Jeffery Smith)]

Kyocera has a very devoted following among its Contax users (similar to
Leica users, but less militant). Yashica cameras are slowly disappearing,
but The Contax G2, Contax T3, and Contax digitals are popular among shooters
who cannot afford Leica and like Zeiss glass. If they are facing hard times,
they're keeping it well hidden. After all, isn't Kyocera a ceramics company?
They obviously have other profitable interests.

Jeffery

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Thinkofcole@aol.com
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 2:17 PM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] Re: The "demise" of xyz camera


    Lately I have seen comments on the Leica sites of the "demise" of Contax

and  Kyocera, with no evidence that this "demise" talk is accurate. 
    I have no interest in these companies but in the interest of accuracy I 
checked the latest annual financial report of Kyocera, the parent company,
and 
find that Kyocera has several businesses, only one of which is photography. 
The report notes that while Kyocera's sales of traditional cameras are down
and 
expenses on its digital cameras are up and both circumstances have resulted
in 
a decline in the photography part of Kyocera's business, the overall profits

of Kyocera are stronger than the year before. 
   Moreover, Kyocera's shares are traded in the United States as so-called 
ADR's {american depositary receipts} and are currently regarded as a "hold,"

meaning that advisers who follow the stock for investors suggest that anyone
who 
owns Kyocera shares should just continue to hold them [ rather than sell
them 
or buy more].
  As far as I'm concerned, until I see authoritative evidence to the 
contrary, Kyocera, Contax and Yashica, another Kyocera product, seem to be
as strong 
as ever.--bob cole _______________________________________________
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