Despite tough operating environment, Q1 2023 confirms strong demand for Airbus products

• Delivers 127 aircraft in Q1 2023
•  Order backlog rises to 7, 254 airplanes

Aircraft maker, Airbus reported consolidated financial results for its First Quarter (Q1) ending 31 March 2023.

Airbus Chief Executive Officer, Guillaume Faury said the first quarter confirmed strong demand for their products, particularly for commercial aircraft, stressing that they have delivered 127 commercial aircraft, which is reflected in the Q1 financials.

According to the Airbus chief, “The quarter also benefited from a good performance in Helicopters. We continue to face an adverse operating environment that includes in particular persistent tensions in the supply chain. Our 2023 guidance is unchanged with commercial aircraft deliveries expected to be backloaded. We remain focused on delivering the commercial aircraft ramp-up and longer-term transformation.”

Gross commercial aircraft orders totaled 156 (Q1 2022: 253 aircraft), with net orders of 142 aircraft after cancellations (Q1 2022: 83 aircraft). The order backlog amounted to 7,254 commercial aircraft at the end of March 2023.

Airbus Helicopters registered 39 net orders (Q1 2022: 56 units) which were well spread across programmes. Airbus Defence and Space’s order intake by value was € 2.5 billion (Q1 2022: € 3.2 billion).

Consolidated revenues decreased slightly to € 11.8 billion (Q1 2022: € 12.0 billion). A total of 127 commercial aircraft were delivered (Q1 2022: 142⁽¹⁾ aircraft), comprising 10 A220s, 106 A320 Family, 6 A330s and 5 A350s.

Revenues generated by Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities decreased 5 percent year-on-year, mainly reflecting the lower deliveries, partly offset by the strengthening of the US dollar. Airbus Helicopters deliveries increased to 71 units (Q1 2022: 39 units), mainly driven by the Light helicopter segment.

The Division’s revenues rose 26 percent, mainly reflecting deliveries and solid performance across programmes, favourable mix effects as well as a good start to the year in services. Revenues at Airbus Defence and Space decreased by six percent, mainly driven by lower volume in Military Air Systems and in Space Systems. One A400M transport aircraft was delivered in Q1 2023.

Consolidated EBIT Adjusted – an alternative performance measure and key indicator capturing the underlying business margin by excluding material charges or profits caused by movements in provisions related to programmes, restructuring, or foreign exchange impacts as well as capital gains/losses from the disposal and acquisition of businesses – decreased to € 773 million (Q1 2022: € 1,263 million).

EBIT Adjusted related to Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities decreased to € 580 million (Q1 2022: € 1,065 million). The decrease reflects the lower deliveries, a slightly less favourable hedge rate compared to Q1 2022, and investments for preparing the future. Q1 2022 included the positive impact of retirement obligations partly offset by the impact resulting from international sanctions against Russia.

The ramp-up on the A220 programme is continuing towards a monthly production rate of 14 aircraft by the middle of the decade. On the A320 Family programme, the Company continues to ramp up towards a monthly production rate of 65 aircraft by the end of 2024. The recently announced decision to add a second Final Assembly Line in Tianjin will increase global industrial capacity to 10 Final Assembly Lines for the A320 Family, supporting Airbus’ plans to produce 75 aircraft per month in 2026. The flight test programme of the A321XLR is progressing and entry-into-service is expected to take place in Q2 2024.

As previously announced the company targets a rate of 4 for the A330 in 2024 and a rate of nine for the A350 at the end of 2025. On the A350F, the first components were recently produced by Airbus Atlantic in Nantes.

As the first milestones are reached, the industrial planning for this variant is being slightly adjusted with the entry-into-service now slipping into 2026.

Airbus Helicopters’ EBIT Adjusted increased to € 156 million (Q1 2022: € 90 million), reflecting the solid performance across programmes, favourable mix effects, and the good start in services. Q1 2022 also included net positive non-recurring elements.

EBIT Adjusted at Airbus Defence and Space decreased to € 36 million (Q1 2022: € 106 million), mainly reflecting the lower volume in Military Air Systems and in Space Systems. Q1 2022 also included net positive non-recurring elements.

On the A400M programme, development activities continue toward achieving the revised capability roadmap. Retrofit activities are progressing in close alignment with the customer. Risks remain on the qualification of technical capabilities and associated costs, on aircraft operational reliability, on cost reductions, and on securing overall volume as per the revised baseline.

Consolidated self-financed R&D expenses totaled € 683 million (Q1 2022: € 586 million).

Consolidated EBIT (reported) amounted to € 390 million (Q1 2022: € 1,429 million), including net Adjustments of € -383 million.

These Adjustments comprised:

• € -360 million related to the dollar pre-delivery payment mismatch and balance sheet revaluation;
• € -9 million related to the Aerostructures transformation;
• € -14 million of other costs including compliance.

The financial result was € 149 million (Q1 2022: € 166 million). It mainly reflects a positive impact from the revaluation of certain equity investments, partly offset by negative impacts from the revaluation of financial instruments and the net interest result. Consolidated net income⁽²⁾ was € 466 million (Q1 2022: € 1,219 million) with consolidated reported earnings per share of € 0.59 (Q1 2022: € 1.55).

Consolidated free cash flow before M&A and customer financing was € -889 million (Q1 2022: € 213 million), mainly reflecting the necessary inventory build-up as the Company executes the production ramp-up. Consolidated free cash flow was € -886 million (Q1 2022: € 161 million). The gross cash position stood at € 22.4 billion at the end of March 2023 (year-end 2022: € 23.6 billion), with a consolidated net cash position of € 8.4 billion (year-end 2022:  € 9.4 billion).

Wole Shadare