Airbus first half profit soars 85% to $1.7 bn

Airbus Reports 85‑Percent Profit Surge, 306 Deliveries in H1

Airbus declared a 85‑percent jump in first‑half profit, reaching $1.7 billion despite delivering fewer commercial aircraft compared with the same period in 2024.

Delivery and Order Figures

• 306 planes delivered overall in the first half, down from 323 in H1 2024.
• Net orders for 402 aircraft secured, up from 310 in the same period last year.
• Three‑percent revenue rise to 29.6 billion euros.

Profitability Highlights

• Operating profit rose 11 percent to €1.6 billion.
• Underlying earnings spiked to €1.5 billion, a year after a 46‑percent slump.

Future Outlook and Tariff Impact

Airbus acknowledged that its delivery targets, though not excluding U.S. tariffs, remain verifiable. The company still expects to deliver 820 commercial aircraft in 2025.

Chief executive Guillaume Faury welcomed a political agreement between the EU and U.S. that reinstated a zero‑tariff regime for civil aircraft, a development the industry considers “welcome.”

Engine Supply Challenges

At the end of last month, 60 planes were still waiting for engines from CFM (a joint venture between Safran and GE) and Pratt & Whitney. Faury stressed confidence in hitting the 820‑delivery forecast, noting a “credible second‑half plan.”

Supply Chain Bottlenecks

• Christian Scherer, director of commercial aircraft, highlighted that wide‑body A350 programs suffered a backlog due to a toilet shortage, quipping that “you can’t build an airplane without a toilet.”
• The incident underscores the fragility of the sector’s supply chain, where a small bottleneck can jeopardize ambitious commercial programs.

Defense and Space Division Cuts

Airbus responded to declining satellite demand by announcing 2,500 job cuts in its defense and space division in October, revised down to 2,043 in December.

2025 Forecast Unchanged

Airbus maintained its 2025 forecast, targeting adjusted operating profit of approximately €7 billion.

Tariff Reassessment

Airbus has already felt the impact of 10‑percent tariffs effective since April. The U.S.–EU agreement reestablishing a zero‑tariff regime has reassured the company, though it remains cautious.

Competition with Boeing

When asked whether President Donald Trump’s support for Boeing could disadvantage Airbus, Faury responded that “knowing that Boeing benefits from this extremely powerful political support forces us to be even better.”

U.S. Boeing’s Stabilization Phase

Airbus CEO Kelly Ortberg reported that Boeing is “in a stabilization phase,” with better‑than‑expected results announced in February.