Airbus delivers 766 aircraft in 2024 and estimated 820 for 2025

Overview

Airbus delivered a solid financial performance in FY2024, successfully navigating supply chain constraints and ramping up production. The company recorded revenues of €69.2bn, driven by higher commercial aircraft deliveries. EBIT adjusted reached €5.4bn, while net income rose to €4.2bn. The company also achieved its 2024 guidance and announced a dividend of €2.00 per share, alongside a special dividend of €1.00 per share.

Despite lower order intake, Airbus maintained a strong backlog of 8,658 aircraft, underscoring continued demand. The defense and helicopter divisions also saw revenue growth, despite some profitability challenges.

CEO Guillaume Faury stated: “We refocused our efforts on key priorities, notably the production ramp-up and the transformation of Defence and Space. We continue to pursue profitable growth and our decarbonisation ambition. The 2024 financial results and the level of confidence we have in our future performance support our proposal for an increased dividend.”

Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023:

Revenue increased to €24.7bn (+8% YoY), supported by higher commercial aircraft and helicopter deliveries.
- The company’s main activity segment had revenue of €17.7bn (+9% YoY), while Airbus Helicopters segment revenue was €3.07bn (+15% YoY).
- Airbus Defence and Space segment revenue grew slightly to a value of €4.47bn (+3% YoY).
EBIT adjusted recorded a value of €2.56bn (+16% YoY), benefiting from cost optimizations and a strong helicopter segment.
- EBIT adjusted for Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities was €2.07bn (+29% vs. Q4 2023), while EBIT adjusted for Airbus Helicopters rose to €398m (+25% vs. Q4 2023), offsetting the decrease in EBIT adjusted of Airbus Defence and Space (-59% vs. Q4 2023).
Net income rose to €2.42bn (+66% YoY), boosted by improved earnings and favorable financial results, with EPS of €3.07 (compared to €1.85 in Q4 2023).

Full-Year 2024 performance:

Total revenue increased to €69.2bn (+6% YoY), driven by higher aircraft deliveries and strong helicopter sales.
- The company’s main activity segment had revenue of €50.6bn (+6% vs. 2023), while Airbus Helicopters segment revenue was €7.94bn (+8% vs. 2023), reflecting higher deliveries of 361 units.
- In the same way, Airbus Defence and Space revenue rose to €12.08bn (+5% vs. 2023), driven by Air Power programs.
A total of 766 commercial aircraft were delivered in 2024 (compared to 735 aircraft in 2023).
EBIT adjusted recorded a value of €5.35bn (-8% YoY), but with EBIT adjusted for Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities of €5.09bn (+6% YoY) and EBIT adjusted for Airbus Helicopters of €818m (+11% YoY).
- However, the negative value of EBIT adjusted for Airbus Defence and Space of (€566m) led to a decrease in EBIT overall.
Order book reported €629bn (+13.5% YoY) at year-end, reflecting strong long-term demand.
Free cash flow was €4.46bn, slightly down from €4.53bn in 2023, but reflecting the strong performance in all businesses.

Airbus remains confident in delivering another strong year in 2025, prioritizing production ramp-ups, technological advancements, and sustained profitability. The company targets ~820 commercial aircraft deliveries, up from 766 in 2024, while EBIT adjusted is expected to reach ~€7.0bn, reflecting operational improvements and efficiency gains. Free cash flow before customer financing is projected at ~€4.5bn, ensuring financial resilience. Airbus will also increase strategic investments, focusing on A350 freighter development, A320neo ramp-up, and next-generation aerospace technologies, reinforcing its long-term growth trajectory.

Even though the main results reported slightly exceeded analysts’ estimates, the global uncertainties in recent weeks led to a depreciation of AIR’s share price, which ended the week with a decrease of approximately -7%.