Airbus had a way better 2024 than Boeing, delivering 766 commercial aircraft
ERIC CABANIS/AFP via Getty Images
- Airbus said it delivered 766 commercial aircraft last year.
- That was four short of its target, which had been reduced from 800 over supply-chain constraints.
- It's likely that Airbus delivered about twice as many planes as struggling US rival Boeing.
Airbus delivered 766 aircraft last year, or four short of its target, the European planemaker said on Thursday.
Despite facing its own challenges, the total shows its 2024 was much brighter than Boeing's year. The American planemaker is yet to announce full-year figures, but by the end of November it had delivered 318 jets.
That means Airbus is likely to have delivered about twice as many planes as its rival — matching predictions from Deutsche Bank analysts in a report last week.
The Airbus share price was marginally higher on Friday. The stock rose 14% in 2024, while Boeing stock fell 31% — leaving it the biggest loser in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Delivery figures are a useful measurement of a planemaker's financial success given that both companies are facing huge backlogs. Any delays can also reduce airlines' confidence in placing future orders since they would disrupt their fleet planning.
Airbus said it finished the year with a backlog of 8,658 aircraft, while Boeing's was 5,499 as of the end of November.
Airlines order planes years in advance, but recent supply-chain issues have exacerbated the figures.
In June, Airbus cut its 2024 delivery target from 800 planes to 770, citing "persistent specific supply chain issues mainly in engines, aerostructures, and cabin equipment."
It also delayed plans to increase production of the A320neo family. The following day, its stock dropped as much as 11%.
Like in 2023, Airbus managed to reach its delivery target with a big end-of-year push.
It delivered 123 planes in December, compared to an average of 58 in the preceding 11 months.
"Given the complex and fast-changing environment we continue to operate in, we consider 2024 a good year," said Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft division. "It has been a massive team effort to deliver this 2024 result."
Airbus is set to give guidance for 2025 deliveries when it reports earnings next month. In a report last week, Bank of America analysts said they expect the guidance to be between 800 and 810 planes.
They think Airbus' primary focus will be its integration with Spirit AeroSystems, with the objective of stabilizing fuselage production. Boeing is paying $4.7 billion to buy back most of Spirit's assets.
BofA is bullish on Airbus, naming it one of its 25 stocks for 2025.
Despite its woes, Boeing is still worth about $128 billion — almost the same as Airbus' market cap.