STUTTGART/Germany, 12.12.2013. ZEISS has brought fiscal year 2012/13 to a successful conclusion (reporting date: 30 September 2013) with an all-time high in revenue. The company put in a good performance in some sectors despite a partly difficult economic environment and generated revenue totaling EUR 4.190 billion (prior year: EUR 4.163 billion) and earnings (EBIT) of EUR 335 million (prior year: EUR 420 million).
In fiscal year 2012/13 different developments were observed in the market segments relevant to ZEISS. Overall, the market situation was tense: while slight growth was reported in the market for medical technology, the markets for microscopy, industrial metrology and eyeglass lenses remained stable. Demand in the market for lithography systems continued to decline in the first half of the fiscal year compared to the previous year, but picked up again in the second half. "In fiscal year 2012/13 we reached and partly exceeded our targets. ZEISS put in a good performance despite the challenging business environment and the weakness of the economy at the beginning of the year," said Dr. Michael Kaschke, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss AG. "We made no compromises in our multi-year investment program the biggest ever in the companys history but continued to implement it consistently and systematically.
ZEISS grows in all economic regions
ZEISS generates 81 percent of revenue through direct business (prior year: 79 percent) and around 19 percent with cooperation partners (prior year: 21 percent). The company generates 85 percent of direct business outside Germany (prior year: 85 percent). ZEISS reported particularly high growth in the rapidly developing economies such as China, India and Latin America, where the Group posted an 11 percent increase in revenue.
In the Asia/Pacific (APAC) region revenue rose by six percent to EUR 796 million (prior year: EUR 782 million) after currency adjustments.
In the Americas region revenue totaled EUR 1.127 billion (prior year: EUR 1.086 billion). This equates to an increase of five percent after currency adjustments.
ZEISS achieved a two percent increase in business in the Europe, Middle East and Africa economic area (EMEA). Revenue totaled EUR 1.452 billion (prior year: EUR 1.426 billion), including EUR 512 million in Germany, an increase of five percent (prior year: EUR 487 million).
The business with cooperation partners showed a downward trend in fiscal year 2012/13 and fell by six percent to EUR 815 million (prior year: EUR 869 million). This development is primarily attributable to the restrained trend observed in the market for semiconductor manufacturing technology, particularly at the beginning of the year.
Investment and modernization measures continued
In fiscal year 2012/13 ZEISS continued to invest in the expansion of its global sites. Overall, investments in property, plant and equipment amounted to EUR 245 million (prior year: EUR 289 million). Depreciation came to EUR 141 million (prior year: EUR 135 million). In Germany ZEISS continued the modernization of its sites commenced in the preceding years. In Oberkochen ZEISS officially opened the new buildings for the part of the Medical Technology business group based at this site, as well as the new production facilities for the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology business group. In addition, a site logistics center was completed in Oberkochen. A total of just under 100,000 square meters of additional production and office space has been created in Oberkochen over the past three years.
Targeted acquisition of future-oriented technology
In fiscal year 2012/13 ZEISS also expanded its portfolio through targeted acquisitions: one important investment in future-oriented technology was the acquisition of Xradia, Inc., Pleasanton (USA), a manufacturer of 3D X-ray microscopes. With this acquisition, ZEISS is expanding its microscopy business and meeting the growing demand for multimodal microscope imaging techniques. X-ray microscopes supplement the ZEISS portfolio that already includes light and electron microscopes, enabling the company to now offer cross-technology application solutions for the materials and life sciences.
With the acquisition of HGV Vosseler GmbH & Co. KG, hringen, Germany, a supplier of 3D inline metrology solutions, ZEISS strengthened its position as a solutions provider for the automotive industry and expanded its offering in the field of process control and inspection in car body construction.
In addition, ZEISS acquired a 60 percent interest in KLEO Halbleitertechnik GmbH, Tettnang, Germany, a company specializing in optoelectronics, parallelized data processing and ultra-precision engineering. For ZEISS, this participation is an investment in future-oriented laser direct writing technology for production processes in electronics production.
Further increase in expenditure on research and development
ZEISS invested EUR 411 million in its research and development activities in fiscal year 2012/13, corresponding to around ten percent of revenue and an increase of five percent over the previous year (prior year: EUR 390 million, nine percent of revenue).
The Group's research and development departments comprise a total of 2,685 employees about 11 percent of the workforce working on new solutions and technologies for the optics industry (prior year: 2,474 employees; ten percent). In the development of new technologies and solutions ZEISS works in a global network of renowned universities and research institutes.
As of the reporting date, ZEISS held 5,863 patents worldwide. In fiscal 2012/13 the Group applied for 421 new patents (prior year: 396).
Solid financial situation
In fiscal year 2012/13 consolidated revenue rose slightly by one percent to EUR 4.19 billion. The increase amounted to two percent after adjustments for curr
