Reuters :
Airbus opens new tab cut its full-year commercial delivery target by 4per cent to around 790 jets on Wednesday but maintained its financial goals, sending its shares bouncing higher as the European planemaker cleared the air over its latest industrial setback.
The decision to act came a day after CEO Guillaume Faury confirmed “weak” November deliveries due to a fuselage quality problem and told Reuters that Airbus would decide on the impact for the rest of the year “in the hours and days” to come.
Airbus shares rose more than 3per cent, after falling nearly 7per cent over the past two sessions. The company had previously targeted around 820 deliveries for 2025, up 7per cent from last year,
Analysts said the decision to maintain financial goals illustrated the profitability of Airbus’ main cash cow, the A320, which recently overtook the Boeing 737 as the industry’s most-delivered model, and support from Defence and Helicopters.
Reuters first reported the problem with fuselages on Monday, on the heels of an emergency recall of thousands of A320s for a software change related to solar radiation.
The problem affects the thickness of some fuselage panels machined by one of two outside suppliers but is not being treated as an immediate safety issue because the parts can still cope with more than the maximum stresses they could meet.
While enjoying strong demand and filling a gap left by back-to-back crises at Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab, Airbus has been struggling to meet its industrial targets as first engines, then seats, and now its core manufacturing supply chain had delays or glitches.
Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie noted that engine delays, which have weighed on Airbus delivery plans for more than a year, were not mentioned in the statement revising the target.
Boeing, meanwhile, is finally emerging from a series of crises with its 737 MAX jet and said on Tuesday it expected positive cash flow in 2026, sending its shares up 10per cent.
It is winning more sales this year but still lags its European rival on deliveries.
