ZEISS generates just under 90 percent of its business outside Germany. In fiscal year 2014/15 ZEISS was particularly successful in the Asia/Pacific (APAC) region with revenue totaling €953 million, corresponding to an increase of 6 percent over the previous year (€830 million) after currency adjustments. Revenue amounted to €390 million (€303 million) in China alone.
For ZEISS, investments in research and development remain the most important lever for strengthening its competitiveness. In fiscal year 2014/15 the company increased its expenditure in this area by 4 percent to €466 million over the previous year (€448 million).
ZEISS invested a total of €160 million in property, plant and equipment during fiscal year 2014/15 (last year: €188 million). This compared to depreciations totaling €150 million (last year: €152 million). As of the reporting date, net liquidity totaled €374 million (30 September 2014: €187 million). "With a continuing high level of investment, our financial base is extremely solid. This also gives us the necessary scope for further investments and acquisitions," explains Thomas Spitzenpfeil, CFO of Carl Zeiss AG.
Free cash flow increased substantially to €477 million (last year: €275 million). The company's equity amounted to €1,357 million, equating to an equity ratio of 25 percent. "The continuing phase of low interest rates is leading to a further increase in pension provisions, which meant that not all of the healthy annual income was allocated to equity," explained CFO Thomas Spitzenpfeil.