Ann: Half Yearly Report and Accounts, page-4

PO - it is a niche market, and in these niche markets, they pay up for tech that is reliable. CDA isn't just an ordinary manufacturer - if you have a look at their past financial returns - esp their ROA and ROE over the last 15 years or so, you could suspect the last year or so was a blip (after a bit of a boom then bust in one product), and that performance will return to historical norms. They aren't competing with cheap low tech competitors in their chosen market. The users of this tech are generally paying up because they push it to near the limit, so something new and better comes out and there is a ready market for it, with upgraders of earlier models for a start.