Carl Zeiss Meditech, the surgical equipment and solutions group affiliated with Carl Zeiss AG, posted a modest 3% revenue gain in the financial year ending 2014, notwithstanding unfavourable currency affects and competitive pressures.

Total sales reached $1.278 billion CND, a slight increase from the $1.275 billion in the prior year. Profits before taxes were up 13.3%. Sales of the ophthalmic division declined 4.6% to $524 million CDN, due to strong competitiveness in the diagnostic equipment industry.

Overall Research and Development expenditures reached 11% of revenue, the highest level in three years. The group plans to make even further increases in R&D spending targeted in the ophthalmic surgical business even at the expense of short-term profitability.

The Americas region is the only one to have experienced a decline, with a drop in revenue of 9.4%, about 1/3 of which was due to currency changes.

Carl Zeiss Meditech has nearly 3,000 world-wide employees and is 65% held by Carl Zeiss AG, one of the world’s leading optical and optoelectronic corporations.

For more information: http://www.zeiss.com/content/dam/Meditec/downloads/pdf/press-releases/czm_2014_qiv_en.pdf