On Wednesday, Deutsche Bank (ETR:DBKGn)'s analsysts adjusted the price target for Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (AFX:GR) (OTC: CZMWY), a leading medical technology company, reducing it from EUR 66.00 to EUR 55.00 while retaining a "Hold" rating on the stock.
This adjustment follows the analysts' anticipation of weaker financial results for the company's first quarter.
The analysts forecasts an 8% drop in organic sales, alongside a significant 25% decrease in EBITA, resulting in a margin of 7.1%. Additionally, he predicts a substantial 50% fall in adjusted earnings per share (EPS).
The analysts attribute these expected declines to a persistently weak market in China and diminished equipment sales in the United States and Europe.
The company's performance in the first quarter is critical, as Carl Zeiss Meditec will need to enhance its efforts in subsequent quarters to meet its full-year guidance.
The analysts said about the guidance that "it points to "moderate" sales growth and expects the EBITA margin to be stable to slightly higher than in FY24 (12.0%)."
Friedrichs remains cautious regarding the company's investment case, suggesting that it is premature to adopt a more positive stance. He indicates that a shift in perspective would require initial signs of improvement in the market environment.
Without these indicators, he warns that the company's full-year guidance could be jeopardized once again.
The revised price target reflects the challenges faced by Carl Zeiss Meditec and the need for a significant recovery in the latter part of the year to align with the company's financial targets. The last closing price for Carl Zeiss Meditec's stock was EUR 48.80.
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