In the first half of fiscal year 2021/22, the positive trend continued across all ZEISS segments. The revenue for the first six months totaled 4,099 million euros (+20% versus the prior year) – the ZEISS Group also once again exceeded the very good EBIT result of the prior year with 736 million euros (+145 million euros versus the prior year).
- Half-year revenue significantly higher than the very good prior-year level
- Positive trend continues despite challenging conditions
- All segments contributed to this sustained positive development
- Expenditure on research and development remains at a high level, totaling 13% of revenue
- The number of employees has increased by 7% to 36,855
The positive trend continues at the ZEISS Group, which had a positive end to the first six months of fiscal year 2021/22 (ended 31 March 2022) that was significantly higher than the very good result seen in the previous year: revenue increased by 20% to 4.1 billion euros (prior year: 3.4 billion euros). At 736 million euros, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were also significantly higher than the prior-year period (prior year: 591 million euros). The EBIT margin is 18%. The high level of incoming orders also continued in the first half of the new fiscal year. Incoming orders increased to 5.49 billion euros (prior year: 4.20 billion euros).
“We have had a good start to the fiscal year with revenue in the first half of the year once again exceeding the very good level from last year. All four ZEISS segments have contributed to this considerable growth dynamic despite challenging conditions,” said Dr. Karl Lamprecht, President & CEO of ZEISS. “We have a global setup, a broad portfolio and have even increased our expenditure on research and development. We are reaping the benefits of this at the moment and this is reflected in our half-year figures, our growth and our capacity for innovation.”
To date, ZEISS has also been in a position to maintain the high level of incoming orders and revenue in the first half of the new fiscal year with considerable growth dynamics across all four segments.
The geopolitical and overall economic conditions, in particular the war in Ukraine, as well as the effects of the corona pandemic – currently in China – and the resulting disruptions to supply chains have strongly impacted the individual strategic business units to differing degrees.
The Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SMT) segment was substantially affected by the high demand on the semiconductor market and achieved an additional boost to its already high revenue. There was strong demand for both the innovative extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems and the deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems. Alongside digitalization, trends such as artificial intelligence or autonomous vehicles have further propelled the semiconductor market to an all-time high. In the future, the next EUV generation, High-NA EUV, will enable the production of more powerful and more energy-efficient chips at lower costs.
The positive trend toward high demand for the products and solutions from the direct-to-market segments continued in the first half of the current fiscal year.
In the first six months, the Industrial Quality & Research (IQR) segment achieved very good half-year revenue, which was significantly higher than the prior year. Both strategic business units, Industrial Quality Solutions and Research Microscopy Solutions, and all regions contributed to the significant double-digit growth. Growth in the AMERICAS region was particularly strong versus the prior year. The positive development in areas like electron microscopy, especially in the semiconductor and battery application fields, contributed to this growth. The business with solutions for industrial quality assurance has also performed well in the fields of new energy vehicles and medical technology.
The positive development in the Medical Technology segment continued in the first six months of 2021/22, and globally this market recovery has already exceeded the level it had been at before the COVID-19 pandemic. Incoming orders remain at a high level with an increase in orders received. Revenue saw double-digit percentage growth despite ongoing bottlenecks in the supply chains and procurement of materials. The two strategic business units, Microsurgery and Ophthalmic Devices, contributed to this growth. All regions recorded positive developments, and the APAC region made the largest contribution to this growth.
The Consumer Markets segment also achieved double-digit growth in revenue in the first two quarters of the current fiscal year versus the prior-year period. This increase in revenue is due primarily to innovations, digital products and services in all regions in the field of eye care, and the improved business with nature and sports optics and ZEISS cine lenses.
