ZEISS’s 2019/2020 financial results and forecast for 2021.

Overall, the ZEISS Group had a good fiscal year 2019/20 (end of reporting period: 30 September 2020): revenue totaled 6.297 billion euros (prior year: 6.428 billion euros). With a slight decline of 2% due to the COVID-19 pandemic, revenue almost reached last year's level.

Around 90% of revenue was generated in markets outside Germany. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were also relatively high, reaching 922 million euros (prior year: 1.063 billion euros). The EBIT margin was 15%. Incoming orders increased to 6.814 billion euros (prior year: 6.575 billion euros).

"On the whole, we were able to achieve a good business result for the ZEISS Group, thanks also to our broad portfolio and global positioning. We consider this an exceptional achievement by our employees – in unusual times," says Dr. Karl Lamprecht, President and CEO of ZEISS.

"Our global crisis management, supported by resilience measures that had already been developed, helped us tackle the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as possible."

Segment development

The four ZEISS segments developed differently in the prior fiscal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks especially to its innovative EUV lithography, the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology segment hardly felt the economic impact of the pandemic.

With growth totaling 12%, the segment achieved record revenue and made a substantial contribution to the ZEISS Group's good result.

The industrial metrology business of the Industrial Quality & Research segment was affected considerably by the COVID-19 pandemic, as it intensified the structural and technological transformation of the automotive industry in particular.

The aerospace market was also strongly impacted. The business with optical 3D measuring technology could be kept at the prior year's level through an expanded customer base. On the whole, the microscopy business declined slightly.

There was increased demand from the life sciences and the pharmaceutical industry. International researchers are using ZEISS microscopes to study the coronavirus and its transmission mechanisms. 

In the ZEISS Medical Technology segment, the overall stable development of consumables, implants and services was able to limit a decline in revenue.

The top priority was working closely together with those customers who showed an increased interest in telehealth and remote solutions as well as in utilizing digital forms of collaboration. This successfully compensated in part for the temporary fall in demand.

The Consumer Markets segment was strongly impacted by the pandemic in the spring. In the eye care business, consumers were unable to visit opticians and optometrists due to the global lockdown. Significant recovery effects were visible starting in the summer.

Outlook

In fiscal year 2019/20, the global economy was confronted with considerable challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the current fiscal year, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to affect ZEISS – to varying degrees at the regional and segment levels.

Thanks to the measures already in place, the company's global positioning and its broad portfolio aligned with megatrends, ZEISS feels well-prepared to continue successfully maneuvering through the COVID-19 crisis. ZEISS is cautiously optimistic that it will see a slight increase in revenue in fiscal year 2020/21.