ZEISS Asserts Its Position In Difficult Environment
Revenue and earnings above the previous year – continued high level of expenditure on research and development
- Revenue increases 19 percent to EUR 4.287 billion
- EBIT reaches EUR 360 million mark
- Cautious outlook for fiscal year 2014/15
STUTTGART/Germany, 17/12/2014.
In the past 2013/14 fiscal year (ended 30 September 2014) ZEISS has increased both its revenue and earnings: revenue rose to EUR 4.287 billion (last year: EUR 4.190 billion). This equated to an increase of two percent. Negative currency effects adversely impacted the revenue and earnings of ZEISS. Without these effects the increase in revenue would total five percent. Earnings (EBIT) grew by 14 percent to EUR 360 million (last year*: EUR 315 million). The EBIT margin lay slightly above eight percent (last year*: eight percent).
“Overall, 2013/14 was a successful fiscal year for the ZEISS Group,” said Dr. Michael Kaschke, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss AG. “Thanks to our broad portfolio we have remained on track to further growth despite the difficult conditions confronting us in the global economy. However, the business groups developed differently and did not meet our expectations in all cases.”
Different developments in the business groups
| Revenue (in EUR million) | |||
| Business Groups | 2013/14 | 2012/13 | Change after currency adjustments |
| Industrial Metrology | 561 | 528 | + 8% |
| Microscopy | 656 | 629 | + 7% |
| Medical Technology¹ | 1,047 | 1,032 | + 5% |
| Vision Care | 761 | 841 | – 6% |
| Consumer Optics | 185 | 195 | – 3% |
| Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology | 1,047 | 934 | + 12% |
¹ The values deviate from the published figures of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG as a result of different consolidation models.
In fiscal year 2013/14 different developments were observed in the business groups. Industrial Metrology and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology reported particularly strong growth over the preceding year. Medical Technology also showed further gains despite the impact of strong currency effects on its revenue.
The revenue trend in the Consumer Optics business group fell short of expectations. The revenue of Vision Care also remained below last year's figure. Nevertheless, the business group achieved another clear improvement in its profitability by focusing strongly on branded products. The revenue of the Microscopy business group rose by seven percent after currency adjustments. However, the business group's profitability did not lie within the target range. As a result, a comprehensive program aimed at sharpening its competitiveness was launched in the new 2014/15 fiscal year.
Financial highlights
The ZEISS Group generates most of its revenue outside Germany. In fiscal year 2013/14 ZEISS was particularly successful in the Asia/Pacific (APAC) region with revenue totaling EUR 830 million, corresponding to an increase of ten percent over the previous year (prior year: EUR 796 million) after currency adjustments. In Germany revenue amounted to EUR 514 million, the same level as the previous year (EUR 512 million).
To consolidate and expand its position as a technology leader in the different industries, ZEISS is continuing to focus strongly on research and development. In fiscal year 2013/14 the company increased its expenditure in this area by eight percent over the previous year to EUR 448 million (last year*: EUR 414 million).
ZEISS invested a total of EUR 188 million in property, plant and equipment during fiscal year 2013/14 (last year: EUR 245 million). This compared to depreciations totaling EUR 152 million (last year: EUR 141 million). Gross liquidity totaled EUR 590 million (30 September 2013: EUR 681 million). “Despite a high level of investment, acquisitions and clearly discernible negative currency effects, the company's financial position is extremely solid,” stated Thomas Spitzenpfeil, CFO of Carl Zeiss AG.
Free cash flow amounted to EUR 275 million (last year: EUR 258 million). The company's equity amounted to over one billion euros, equating to an equity ratio of around 25 percent.
Employees
Fiscal year 2013/14 saw a slight increase in the company's headcount: 24,817 employees were working for ZEISS as of 30 September 2014. This was an increase of just under 200 over last year (24,623).
Outlook: Ambitious goals for 2014/15
For fiscal year 2014/15, ZEISS expects moderate global growth with regional variations. The stagnation or slowdown currently emerging in the world economy poses new challenges to the company. “Fiscal year 2014/15 will not be an easy one. Nevertheless, we expect an overall stable development in revenue and an EBIT margin comparable to that in 2013/14,” said Kaschke. “We will reach this ambitious goal because we will continue to improve our productivity and efficiency and, at the same time, spare no effort to focus even more sharply on the needs of our customers.”
* Adapted due to changes of IAS 19
About ZEISS
ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries. ZEISS develops and distributes lithography optics, measuring technology, microscopes, medical technology, eyeglass lenses, camera and cine lenses, binoculars and planetarium technology. With its solutions, the company constantly advances the world of optics and helps shape technological progress. The company is divided up into the six business groups Industrial Metrology, Microscopy, Medical Technology, Vision Care, Consumer Optics and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. ZEISS is represented in over 40 countries – with around 30 production sites, over 50 sales and service locations and about 25 research and development facilities.
In fiscal year 2013/14 the company generated revenue approximating 4.3 billion euros with just under 25,000 employees. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. Carl Zeiss AG is the strategic management holding company that manages the ZEISS Group. The company is wholly owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation).
Further information at www.zeiss.de/en
