Leica Camera AG, Solms, finished the 2010/2011 financial year (1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011) with record sales. With total sales of €248.8 m, the Hessian company with a long tradition of manufacturing cameras and sport optics products increased its sales by 57.2% compared to the previous year (€158.2 m). The company’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were almost six times higher. They rose from €7.4 m in the previous financial year to €41.5 m. The group profit was also higher than expected at €36.3 m, more than 11 times higher than the previous year (€3.2 m). At the company’s AGM on 12 August 2011, the board and supervisory board will propose that the shareholders distribute a dividend of €0.30 per share as a result of the positive balance. This would be the company’s first dividend payment since 1997...