Leica Camera AG’s owners, including Austrian billionaire Andreas Kaufmann and private investment giant Blackstone, are exploring a potential sale of a controlling stake in the iconic German camera maker, which could be valued around €1bn ($1.2bn), according to a report by Bloomberg.
The report cites unnamed sources familiar with the matter as revealing that advisers have been engaged to assess options, with HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China) and Altor Equity Partners among potential bidders. The Kaufmann family could potentially reinvest following a transaction. Discussions remain at an early stage though, and a deal is not guaranteed.
Leica, which traces its origins to 19th-century microscope maker Ernst Leitz, was taken private by the Kaufmann family in 2012. The company, once publicly traded on Frankfurt’s stock exchange, faced a financial crunch in 2005 before stabilising and expanding its core photo segment.
For the fiscal year ended March 2025, Leica reported €596m in revenue, up 7.6% year-on-year, fuelled by strong growth in its photography business and mobile segment, particularly in Europe. The company also maintains a partnership with Chinese mobile phone maker Xiaomi Corp.
A sale would mark one of the larger private-market deals in the high-end consumer technology sector and underscores continued investor interest from private equity and alternative capital in premium consumer brands.
