Leica Announces Hugely Increased Sales for 2010

The fiscal year is up for Leica, and they have some tremendous news to share with their stockholders. They'll be paying off dividends for the first time in over a decade.

The last time Leica paid dividends to stockholders was 1997, but shortly after they got lost in a sea of digital cameras and edged closer to irrelevance. The sales numbers from the previous fiscal year indicate that the company is back in a big way.

In the 2009/2010 fiscal year, Leica pulled in 158.2 million EUR, or around $230 million US. In 2010/2011 they turned that around significantly, and brought in a total of 248.9 million EUR, or around $360 million US.

Leica says that the demand for the Leica M and S systems, compact cameras and sports optics have all been contributors to this significant increase.