Carl Zeiss Meditec generated revenue of €967.9m in the first nine months of fiscal year 2019/20 (prior year: €1,027.6m), a decline of -5.8% (adjusted for currency effects: -6.9%) compared with the same period of the prior year. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) decreased to €111.9m (prior year: €184.2m). The EBIT margin was 11.6% (prior year: 17.9%).

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted us significantly, particularly in the third quarter of fiscal year 2019/20. Although there has already been a slight recovery in some parts of APAC¹, the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and North America had a marked effect on our customers and thus demand for our products,” said Dr. Ludwin Monz, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG.

Revenue in the Ophthalmic Devices strategic business unit (SBU) decreased by -7.0% in the first nine months of fiscal year 2019/20 (adjusted for currency effects: -8.0%), to €709.1m (prior year: €762.7m).

Revenue in the Microsurgery SBU decreased by -2.3% (adjusted for currency effects: -3.6%), to €258.7m (prior year: €264.9m).

RRevenue in the EMEA² region decreased by -12.8% (adjusted for currency effects: -12.7%), to €268.8m (prior year: €308.2m). Declines were recorded particularly in the markets worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Western Europe, the UK, Turkey and the Middle East region. In Germany, a recovery was well underway towards the end of the reporting period.

The Americas region recorded a revenue decline of -6.9% (adjusted for currency effects: -9.0%), to €272.3m (prior year: €292.5m). In the third quarter, revenue decreased significantly in the USA and Brazil in particular, after both had achieved growth at the start of the fiscal year.

With revenue of €426.8m, the APAC region almost reached the prior year’s figure of €426.9m (adjusted for currency effects: -1.1%). That performance was bolstered by a robust recovery in China and South Korea in the third quarter, after in particular temporary closures of clinics and postponements of elective surgery had previously led to significant revenue losses in the months of February and March. The markets of Japan, India and Southeast Asia, on the other hand, showed a clear decline in the third quarter.

The operating result (earnings before interest and taxes: EBIT) decreased in the first nine months of fiscal year 2019/20, to €111.9m (prior year: €184.2m). The EBIT margin declined to 11.6% (prior year: 17.9%). Adjusted for special items, this amounted to 12.1% (prior year: 18.2%). Earnings per share fell to €0.77 (prior year: €1.22).

“As already announced in July, we are projecting revenue of around €1.3bn for fiscal year 2019/20. This is based on the assumption that the markets will continue to recover and that no additional measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic will be necessary,” added Dr. Ludwin Monz. “Our entire focus remains on protecting our employees, continuity of supply for our customers, and continuing with our strategic investments, so that we can return to sustainable growth as soon as possible.”