Airbus Targets €13B Operating Profit by 2029
Synopsis
Airbus has unveiled a new medium-term roadmap targeting up to €13 billion in adjusted operating profit by 2029, supported by higher aircraft production, stronger cash generation and a €5 billion share buyback.
Airbus has announced a new financial goal to generate up to €13 billion in adjusted operating profit by 2029, which forms the basis for its medium-term strategy focused on increasing aircraft production capacity, improving cash generation and shareholder returns.
The European aerospace producer also approved a €5 billion share buyback scheme over three years and its financial guidance for 2026, reflecting confidence in its production plans amid supply-chain pressures.
This new target is far higher than the €7.13 billion adjusted operating profit Airbus achieved in 2025. The company projects that its commercial aircraft program will generate circa €10 billion of adjusted operating profit at the end of the decade with planned production growth in both its single-aisle and widebody programs.
Production Plans are on Track
Airbus still expects to deliver 870 commercial aircraft in 2026, with operating profit of approximately €7.5 billion, and free cash-flow (excluding customer financing) of some €4.5 billion.
In the first half of 2026, the company made 306 commercial aircraft, which increased by 15% compared with the same period of the previous year, as engine availability and parts supplies began to improve a little. Airbus has improved its visibility over the past few years, says Chief Executive Guillaume Faury, given that he has seen several years of production delays.
Airbus reported €73.4 billion in revenue and delivered 793 commercial aircraft last year, which puts it at the top of the range of commercial aircraft manufacturers in terms of deliveries, according to the company's 2025 Annual Report.
Global Demand Continues to Outpace Supply
In its latest Global Market Forecast 2025-2044, Airbus projects the number of new passenger and freighter planes that airlines will need over the next two decades to be 43,420. The report also finds that Asia-Pacific is set to be the biggest area for future deliveries, with North America and Europe also projected to see demand grow as airlines continue to upgrade their fleets and replace older aircraft.
The overall forecast is consistent with Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook 2025, which calls for a fleet of over 43,000 new commercial aircraft deliveries worldwide through 2044.
Manufacturers have again seen good order books, while production is being held back by a lack of engines, aerostructures and other key components in the aerospace industry.
Capital Returns and Financial Outlook
Airbus also announced a new earnings outlook alongside a €5 billion share buyback programme, which will continue until 2028, and renewed its long-term goal of cash conversion of around one over five years.
The company stated its medium-term outlook financial framework also reflects no material adverse trend or change in existing expectations regarding geopolitical, global trade or supply-chain performance.
Source: Reuters
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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