Airbus is looking ahead to 2029 with some big numbers. The European plane maker unveiled financial targets that include a €5 billion stock buyback program and a plan to double its operating profit.
The company wants adjusted annual operating profit to land between €12 billion and €13 billion in 2029. That is a serious jump from where things sit today. The civil aviation division alone is expected to generate €10 billion in profit in 2029 - nearly double the €5.5 billion it posted last year. The defense and space business should add €1.3 billion, and the helicopter unit another €1.2 billion.
Those profit goals come with specific production targets. Airbus plans to build 70 to 75 A320 family jets per month by 2027. The larger A350 will hit 12 units per month in 2028.
The A220 reaches 13 monthly units that same year, while the older A330 will stay at 5 per month in 2029. The near-term delivery target for the current year is 870 aircraft.
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The post-pandemic rebound keeps the commercial aviation sector buoyant, as passenger numbers climb and carriers compete to secure new planes. Airbus's order backlog stands at near-record levels, but supply-chain bottlenecks have limited deliveries. The new financial targets reflect management's confidence that those constraints are easing, though the company remains cautious in its official outlook.
The aircraft industry is seeing near-record demand. Airlines want new planes, and Airbus has a backlog of orders. But its stock has not kept up.
Shares barely moved in 2026 after a 28% gain in 2025. Investors have two main concerns: persistent supply chain disruptions that delay production, and how the conflict in Iran might impact future demand.
CEO Guillaume Faury sounded hopeful that the company is past the worst of those issues. "We've ticked a lot of important boxes when it comes to our ability to supply," he said. But the company also listed plenty of conditions that need to hold for its plan to work. In a release, Airbus said the outlook depends on no additional disruptions to global trade, the world economy, air traffic, or its own supply chain and operations.
The company's order book currently exceeds 8,000 aircraft, reflecting years of strong demand as airlines modernize fleets and expand routes. Persistent supply-chain constraints, especially in engine and component production, have forced Airbus to repeatedly adjust delivery schedules in the past. The new targets assume those bottlenecks will gradually clear, though the company remains cautious in its official outlook.
Airbus is not stopping at these targets. The company is looking into stretching both its A220 and A350 models to add more capacity. The new head of commercial operations, Lars Wagner, said the potential production rate for the A350 goes "well beyond" the 12 per month already planned. He also said Airbus is ready to make "significant" deals to hit its revenue and profit goals.
The company will report full earnings on July 29. For now, the near-term targets include an adjusted operating profit of €7.5 billion and free cash flow of €4.5 billion.
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