Free cash flow amounted to 609 million euros (first six months of 2019/20: 180 million euros). The company's equity rose by 13 percent as compared to fiscal year 2019/20, totaling 4,840 million euros (30 September 2020: 4,287 million euros).
ZEISS' expenditure on research and development totaled around 12 percent of revenue in the first half of fiscal year 2020/21. This amounted to 425 million euros of revenue (first six months of 2019/20: 398 million euros),
Investments in property, plant and equipment amounted to 264 million euros in the reporting period (first six months of 2019/20: 215 million euros), as compared to depreciations totaling EUR 127 million (first six months of 2019/20: 123 million euros).
At the end of the reporting period on 31 March 2021, net liquidity totaled 1,829 million euros.
In the Americas and APAC regions, distinct revenue growth has been achieved, adjusted for currency fluctuations. Slight growth was also reported in the EMEA region.
"Growth at the ZEISS Group is based on forward-looking decisions and a little patience, " says Dr. Christian Müller, Chief Financial Officer of Carl Zeiss AG. "While our sizeable investments in research and development do not always immediately pay off, a little patience coupled with innovative ideas allow us to shape the market. ZEISS' investment strategy, i.e. investments in technology, infrastructure and our strategic presence in the world's high-tech hubs, also includes the ZEISS Innovation Center that was opened this year in Dublin, California. This allows us to bolster the links between science and business, thus opening up new marketing opportunities in the digital arena."
ZEISS does not shy away from its responsibility toward ensuring sustainability. "Our goal is to embed sustainability throughout the company, rendering it measurable and developing it further," says Müller. "ZEISS aims to operate in a carbon-neutral way in its own activities worldwide by 2025. This supplements the company's existing goal of switching to green power by 2022."
ZEISS' new partnerships and acquisitions in the first half of the fiscal year include the partnership with global technology player vivo in the area of mobile imaging, which was announced in December. As part of this strategic collaboration, the two companies are working on projects such as developing imaging systems for vivo's smartphones. Furthermore, in order to expand its offering in microscopy with innovative 3D and big data software solutions, back in December ZEISS acquired a majority stake in arivis AG. This is how the company is bolstering its software skills and market position in the field of 3D visualization and analysis technology.
At the end of the first six months of the current fiscal year (31 March 2021), ZEISS had a global workforce of 34,434 employees. Its headcount thus increased by more than 8% as compared to 31 March 2020. This also reflects the segments' growth trajectory. For instance, in the first half of the fiscal year the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology segment hired over 450 new people. And 300 further new positions will help the segment to continue growing in the second half of the fiscal year.