ZEISS generates around 90 percent of its business outside Germany. The pace of growth differs by region. This positive business trend is borne in particular by the dynamically developing economies in the APAC region.
ZEISS increased its investments in research and development by around 20 percent: in the first half of fiscal year 2016/17, this amounted to EUR 247 million (1st half of 2015/16: EUR 207 million).
Investments in property, plant and equipment amounted to EUR 75 million in the reporting period (1st half of 2015/16: EUR 54 million). These compared to depreciations totaling EUR 76 million (1st half of 2015/16: EUR 76 million).
On 31 March 2017, net liquidity amounted to EUR 951 million, which was considerably above the figure posted at the end of fiscal year 2015/16 (30 Sept. 2016: EUR 568 million).
Free cash flow totaled EUR 264 million (1st half of 2015/16: EUR 355 million). With a figure totaling EUR 2,206 million, the company’s equity rose by 56 percent over the end-of-year figure for fiscal year 2015/16 (30 Sept. 2016: EUR 1,416 million).
On 31 March 2017 ZEISS had a global workforce of around 21,200 employees. This corresponds to an increase of 5 percent over the prior year (20,200). Moreover, Vision Global Operations – the global eyeglass production process, which is subject to major seasonal and regional fluctuations and is therefore listed separately – currently employs a further 5,000 people. The ZEISS Group therefore employed a total of almost 26,200 people on 31 March 2017.