The Zeiss Group has continued on its growth course, because sales and earnings rose to new highs in the 2018/19 financial year (balance sheet date: September 30, 2019). Sales grew by 11 percent to 6.428 billion euros (previous year: 5.817 billion euros), adjusted for currency and consolidation effects (comparable), 8 percent. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 1.063 billion were also significantly above the previous year's level (EUR 772 million). The EBIT margin was 17 percent. Order intake rose 9 percent to € 6.575 billion for the first time.

The Zeiss Group posted robust growth in all four divisions in 2018/19. The Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology division showed very good economic development and achieved a sales record - also thanks to the market launch of EUV technology. The first high-quality end devices with chips that were produced with Zeiss EUV optics are already available on the market. The Industrial Quality & Research division felt the weak development of the automotive markets in the area of ​​measurement technology and quality assurance, but was able to generate additional growth in surface measurement and digitization through the acquisition of GOM GmbH. The microscopy business has stabilized and exceeded expectations.

The Medical Technology division was able to benefit from growth contributions from newly launched innovations and achieved high growth especially in APAC. Both the demand for solutions for microsurgery and for ophthalmology increased. The strategic business division Vision Care of the Consumer Markets division grew above the market and the competition - especially in emerging countries - and exceeded sales in the billion mark for the first time. In the Consumer Products division, business with SLR photo lenses remains under pressure, especially the SLR range for cameras declined. The business with lenses for mirrorless cameras, on the other hand, grew.

The Zeiss Group generated around 90 percent of its sales outside Germany in 2018/19. With a comparable 15 percent increase in sales, the positive business development continued to be particularly supported by the dynamically developing economies of the APAC region. Zeiss continued to grow in the EMEA region with a comparable 8 percent increase in sales. In the Americas region, sales were 1.347 billion euros, 2 percent up on the previous year. Zeiss has not yet exhausted the growth potential here.