Airbus published a net profit of 2.2 billion euros in the first half of the year on Thursday, July 29, thanks to significant aircraft deliveries compared to last year, which led the aircraft manufacturer to revise its forecasts sharply upwards. for the year.
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The European aircraft manufacturer delivered 297 aircraft between January and June against 196 last year.
As a result of this good performance of deliveries - when the customer pays most of his bill - turnover jumped 30% to 24.6 billion euros.
Thanks to these "
solid performances
", "
we are therefore able to raise our 2021 forecasts, despite the still unpredictable context
," said Executive Chairman Guillaume Faury, quoted in the press release.
600 aircraft to be delivered over the year
The aircraft manufacturer now intends to deliver 600 planes over the year, whereas it had hitherto expected a figure equivalent to that of 2020 (566), considered conservative by most analysts.
It also forecasts an operating profit of € 4 billion, double its previous target.
Airbus achieved an operating profit of 2.7 billion euros in the first six months of the year alone.
Finally, it intends to generate free cash flow of 2 billion euros.
This was 2.1 billion in the first half.
Sign of an airline sector still in difficulty, the European aircraft manufacturer however recorded only 165 aircraft orders in the first half of the year for 127 cancellations.
Its order book stood at 6,925 aircraft as of June 30, including 5,666 of the A320 family.
Global traffic remains severely limited by traffic restrictions and only freight is progressing compared to its pre-crisis level.
In this area, Airbus is in a weak position compared to its competitor Boeing.
Its board of directors therefore approved the launch of a cargo version of the widebody A350, intended to compete with the B767 and B777 cargo of the American aircraft manufacturer.
