Bloomberg: Leica may be sold to an investment company for over $1 billion

Leica Camera AG was traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange until 2012, when the current chairman of the supervisory board and majority shareholder, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, privatized the company. While the Austrian billionaire owns more than half of Leica Camera AG, US investment giant Blackstone holds approximately 45% of the shares.

According to a Bloomberg report, Blackstone now intends to divest its stake in Leica Camera AG. The Kaufmann family is reportedly also mulling a sale of a controlling stake in the company, but is said to be considering reinvesting in Leica afterwards. Potential buyers currently include Chinese investment group Sequoia Capital China and Swedish company Altor Equity Partners. If the deal goes through, it is conceivable that control of the long-established camera manufacturer will no longer be in the hands of the Kaufmann family for the first time since 2006.

Bloomberg highlights that the sale negotiations are in a very early stage; no contracts have been signed, and a final decision on whether the sale will go through has not yet been made. Leica Camera AG is currently valued at approximately €1 billion (approx. $1.19 billion). From April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, the company generated revenue of €596 million (approx. $708 million), 7.6% more than the previous year. This revenue is not solely attributable to the camera business but also to the collaboration with Xiaomi and its Leica-branded smartphones.