ASSLAR (dpa-AFX) - The vacuum pump manufacturer Pfeiffer Vacuum earned slightly less in 2023 than in the previous year due to increased investments in production and IT infrastructure. The operating result fell by nine percent to just under 109 million euros, the company, which is part of the Busch Group, announced on Thursday in Asslar, Hesse. Despite subdued demand from semiconductor manufacturers, turnover increased by just over four percent to 956 million euros. In 2024, the SDax-listed company expects turnover and operating profit to remain at the same level as last year. Both the 2023 result and the outlook are broadly in line with analysts' expectations. At the beginning of April, the company surprisingly parted ways with Britta Giesen, who had been CEO until then, with immediate effect./zb/mis