Jenoptik remains on course for growth with record figures

• Based on provisional calculations, group revenue in 2018 grew to around 834 million euros (+11.6 percent)
• EBITDA grew by more than 19 percent to around 128 million euros; EBIT significantly improved by about 22 percent to approximately 95 million euros
• Order intake worth around 874 million euros was also at record high
• Outlook: Jenoptik is expecting further growth in 2019

Jenoptik ended the 2018 fiscal year with new record figures. According to provisional calculations, group revenue grew by 11.6 percent to around 834 million euros (prior year: 747.9 million euros). This highly encouraging performance was mainly driven by strong demand from the semiconductor equipment industry and the delivery of toll monitoring systems in the traffic safety business. Successful acquisitions also made a key contribution of roughly 37 million euros to revenue. On a regional level, the Americas and Europe saw the strongest growth.

EBITDA improved at a faster rate than revenue, to just under 128 million euros (prior year: 106.9 million euros), equating to an EBITDA margin of 15.3 percent (prior year: 14.3 percent). With an increase of about 22 percent, EBIT rose even more sharply, to around 95 million euros (prior year: 78.0 million euros). This corresponds to an operating margin of 11.4 percent (prior year: 10.4 percent).

“Following good business performance in the first three quarters, demand saw a further upturn in the final months of 2018, allowing us to exceed our targets and once again significantly expand the profitability of the Jenoptik Group. This, in no small part, is a reflection of the outstanding work of our employees,” says Jenoptik President & CEO Stefan Traeger.

Strong order intake is an outstanding basis for further growth

Jenoptik also saw a very strong fourth quarter in terms of order intake. In 2018 as a whole, the Group received orders worth some 874 million euros, an increase of almost 9 percent (prior year: 802.9 million euros). The order intake was thus above revenue, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.05 (prior year: 1.07).

Growth is to continue in 2019

“The past fiscal year was again the best in the company’s history. Jenoptik’s growth shows that we are on the right track with our strategic realignment with a stronger focus on photonic markets as well as with the initiatives launched to promote innovation within the Group. As part of the gradual implementation of our ‘Strategy 2022,’ we have already achieved key milestones with the introduction of our new divisional structure in early January 2019, the launch of the new, independent VINCORION brand for our mechatronic business in September 2018, and the reorganization of our activities in Asia,” says Stefan Traeger.

Based on an excellent order backlog, the Executive Board retains a positive outlook for 2019. In view of Jenoptik’s steady transformation into a focused technology company and the progress made within the company to date, the Board anticipates further growth in the present fiscal year.

The final figures and the 2018 Annual Report will be published on March 21, 2019.