Jena – In early August 2026, Carl Zeiss Meditec detailed its cost-cutting program, projecting the loss of 600 to 700 jobs worldwide. In May, the medical technology company had cited up to 1,000 potentially affected positions. CFO Justus Felix Wehmer points primarily to weak business performance in China and the USA. Meanwhile, adjusted EBITA fell from €177 million to €124.5 million over the nine-month period. The company has not yet specified a figure for Germany or its headquarters in Jena, where Meditec employs around 640 people; discussions with employee representatives are currently underway.
Carl Zeiss suffers from weak business in China
After nine months of the 2025/26 fiscal year, revenue reached €1.554 billion. This was 2.9 percent lower than in the same period of the previous year. At the same time, the adjusted EBITA margin fell from 11.1 percent to 8.0 percent. Additionally, earnings per share dropped from €1.02 to €0.80. The ophthalmology division is weighing particularly heavily on the results, even though it accounts for the largest share of the group’s revenue.
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In this business segment, revenue fell by 4.8 percent to 1.191 billion euros. Sales—particularly of intraocular lenses and refractive lasers—also weakened in China. Furthermore, a bifocal lens lost its spot in a state-run procurement process, prompting Meditec to withdraw inventory from the market. Carl Zeiss is now responding with cost-cutting measures and a reorganization of its international structures.
Jena Awaits Concrete Figures
The scale of the cutbacks at the Jena site remains undecided. Around 640 people work there for Carl Zeiss Meditec, though the Zeiss Group as a whole employs significantly more staff in the city. The company is first assessing whether affected employees can transfer to other divisions within the group; the semiconductor division, in particular, requires additional personnel, according to the CFO.
At the same time, Meditec is expanding production in lower-cost regions. The group is preparing a new manufacturing site in India, planning to increase capacity in China, and shifting some development work to countries with lower costs. Carl Zeiss is thus linking the workforce reduction to a sweeping reorganization of production, development, and administration.
Cost-cutting program aims to boost earnings by over €200 million
The cost-cutting program is designed to improve the annual earnings base by more than €200 million by the 2028/29 fiscal year. However, Meditec requires around €40 million of this amount simply to offset higher infrastructure costs. These include IT systems, intercompany services, and expenses associated with the new high-tech facility in Jena. Consequently, more than €160 million is expected to remain as a permanent improvement to earnings.
Although the third quarter showed initial signs of stabilization, the earnings situation remains significantly weaker than in the previous year. Carl Zeiss Meditec expects full-year revenue to range between €2.15 billion and €2.20 billion. However, the adjusted EBITA margin is projected to reach only 8 to 10 percent. In addition, the Group anticipates an impairment charge of approximately €150 million in its ophthalmology business. For employees in Jena, the critical factor remains how many jobs will ultimately be cut.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (06.08.26) – Ostthüringer Zeitung (06.08.26) – Schwäbische Post (06.08.26)