Airbus Group SE

Australia's major airline Qantas reported its fiscal 2026 results (July 2025-June 2026), with underlying profit before tax falling 14% year-on-year to A$2.06 billion (US$1.48 billion) due to soaring fuel costs, slightly beating market expectations of A$2 billion. CEO Hudson said that while travel demand remained strong, a surge in fuel costs amid the Middle East conflict reduced second-half profit by A$420 million. The company responded with fare increases, cuts to domestic capacity, and redeployment of aircraft to more profitable international routes, but only partially offset the impact of higher fuel costs. Although tensions in the Middle East have eased, the company expects jet fuel prices to remain high in the first half of fiscal 2027, with net fuel costs projected at around A$3.6 billion, significantly above the A$2.6 billion in the same period last year. Meanwhile, total unit revenue for domestic and international operations in the first half of fiscal 2027 is expected to rise 8-10%, both above the average forecast. Qantas also announced it will begin retiring its Airbus A380 superjumbos in 2028, four years earlier than originally planned, and said it is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to convert options for 20 A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft into firm orders from 2030 onward. Hudson noted that maintenance costs for the A380 are rising as production has ceased. The company declared a final dividend of A$0.198 per share, and decided to cancel its A$150 million share buyback announced in February, which had not been started due to the outbreak of the Middle East conflict.

United Airlines Holdings Inc. will add destinations in Europe and Asia to its network next year, using Airbus SE's new long-range narrow-body planes. The carrier will fly the A321XLR planes from its Newark hub to locations including Luxembourg and Marseille, and from San Francisco to Okinawa, Japan.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has tentatively set the first test flight of its delayed A350F freighter for late September. According to industry sources, the development team is prioritising September 24, though the date could shift depending on last-minute technical issues or weather. Airbus aims to complete flight testing and deliver the first aircraft to customers by 2027, and because flight testing typically takes 12 to 15 months, it faces a very tight certification schedule. The A350F, announced in 2021, is a dedicated freighter version of the long-range A350 jetliner family that was targeted to enter service four years later, as Airbus seeks to break into the air cargo market long dominated by US rival Boeing. Airbus has sold 107 A350F aircraft, compared with just 38 sales of the smaller, older A330F model.

American Airlines is retrofitting its Airbus A319s and A320s with extra first-class seats and will take delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 10s fitted with 24 first-class seats, increasing its premium seat share from 25% to 40%. The carrier is also returning seat-back screens to its aircraft, aligning with rivals Delta and United and creating additional ad revenue opportunities. CEO Robert Isom said premium revenue continues to outpace non-premium, with passenger unit revenue in the premium segment up 13.4% in the second quarter versus 8.8% in the main cabin. COO Nathaniel Pieper added that progress across customer experience, network, premium revenue, and loyalty gives confidence in long-term value creation. American Airlines shares are down for a third straight day with a cumulative loss of 6%.

ATI raised its full-year guidance after reporting higher year-over-year sales and earnings for the second quarter on August 6, 2026, citing a record contracted backlog. The company’s recent long-term contract expansions with Boeing and Airbus lock in higher volumes, inflation pass-through, and attractive pricing, supporting higher-margin revenue growth through the decade. ATI’s shares have surged 91.14% year to date, with the last close at $227.84, above a widely followed fair value estimate of $200.33 based on a 7.9% discount rate. The stock’s rapid gains and record backlog have prompted debate over whether the current valuation still offers upside or already reflects the improved outlook.

Loar Holdings raised its full-year 2026 guidance after reporting record second-quarter sales, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin. Second-quarter sales rose 17% year over year to $172 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 220 basis points to a record 40.5%. The company now expects 2026 sales of $665 million to $675 million, adjusted EBITDA of $265 million to $270 million, and adjusted earnings per share of $1.32 to $1.36, up from prior guidance of $1.26 to $1.30. Commercial OEM sales led growth, increasing 28%, supported by stronger Boeing and Airbus demand. Loar also reported its organic business pipeline reached approximately $750 million over the next five years, including $200 million of opportunities already secured through certifications, qualifications or purchase orders.

Honeywell Aerospace reported second quarter sales of $4.5 billion, up 5% year over year on both a reported and organic basis, and revised its full-year 2026 guidance downward. Net income fell 70% to $256 million, while adjusted EBIT declined 7% to $995 million, including roughly $100 million in separation-related costs and inventory obsolescence charges. The company, which completed its spin-off from Honeywell Technologies on June 29, now expects full-year organic sales growth of 4% to 5%, down from a prior range of 7% to 9%, and pro forma standalone adjusted EBIT of $4.35 billion to $4.45 billion, compared with the earlier $4.65 billion to $4.75 billion. It initiated full-year pro forma standalone adjusted earnings per share guidance of $7.60 to $7.90 and maintained its second-half free cash flow guidance of $1.0 billion to $1.5 billion. Backlog grew 9% to $18.2 billion, and the company highlighted $15 billion in new wins year to date, including a landmark avionics and power systems agreement with IndiGo for 810 Airbus A320neo family aircraft.

Airbus has raised its 2029 adjusted EBIT guidance and launched a €5.8 billion share buyback program while reporting higher second-quarter sales and net income. The company’s shares trade at €208.0, with a 90-day return of 10.34% and a five-year total shareholder return of 96.87%. A user-generated fair value estimate of €231.41 suggests the stock may be about 10.1% undervalued, though bears argue the positive news is already priced in. New orders include Philippine Airlines’ A350-1000 agreement in July 2026, and bulls highlight the company’s extreme entry barriers, high switching costs, and strong demand visibility as a backlog-driven duopoly.

European aerospace giant Airbus on the 29th gave a bullish outlook for its full-year 2026 aircraft delivery target, suggesting it could reach up to around 890 units, up from the previous target of about 870. Second-quarter results saw adjusted operating profit rise 54% year-on-year to 2.43 billion euros, with revenue up 28% to 20.53 billion euros, beating market expectations. CEO Guillaume Faury struck a conciliatory tone regarding relations with Pratt & Whitney, a unit of US-based RTX, with which Airbus had been at odds over engine supply delays, and said there would be no issues for 2026. Second-quarter aircraft deliveries hit a quarterly record of 237 units, helped by improvements in delays to China and engine supply problems. The full-year outlook was maintained, including existing targets such as adjusted operating profit of 7.5 billion euros.

Airbus reported a 47 percent jump in first-half net income to 2.24 billion euros, driven by a 12 percent rise in revenue to 33.18 billion euros. Adjusted EBIT increased 24 percent to 2.73 billion euros, while reported EBIT climbed 70 percent to 2.75 billion euros. Earnings per share rose to 2.84 euros from 1.93 euros a year earlier. Research and development expenses grew 4 percent to 1.46 billion euros.

Airbus announced that its in-development A350 has completed a nonstop flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, in 24 hours and 24 minutes. The test flight was part of Qantas' Project Sunrise, with a specially modified A350-1000ULR flying 23,075 kilometres, carrying 20,000 litres of fuel in additional tanks, and capable of seating 238 passengers. According to Flightradar24, the flight was tracked by more than 3.6 million people, making it the second most tracked flight in the service's history. Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft and plans to begin daily nonstop service between Sydney and London starting in October 2027.

The 2026 Fortune Global 500 list shows that aerospace manufacturers generally posted higher profits than airlines. GE Aerospace topped all aviation companies on the list with a net profit of 8.704 billion US dollars, earning over 3 billion dollars more than the world’s most profitable airline, Emirates Group. Airbus recorded a net profit of 5.889 billion dollars, up 28.7 percent year on year. Boeing returned to profitability with a net profit of 2.235 billion dollars, and its revenue surpassed that of Airbus. Honeywell posted a net profit of 4.729 billion dollars. Supply chain strains have led to a shortage of aircraft and components, driving up manufacturers’ profits, while airlines have been weighed down by delivery delays and rising costs. Emirates Group reported a net profit of 5.354 billion dollars. Delta Air Lines had the highest revenue among global carriers and ranked second in net profit. China’s three state-owned major airlines remained absent from the Global 500. Two of them were still loss-making in 2025, and their combined losses in the first half of 2026 are expected to approach 10 billion yuan. Xiamen C&D Group ranked 112th with revenue of 97.028 billion dollars, but it swung from profit to loss in 2025, posting a loss of 509 million dollars.

SeAH Aerospace & Defense has signed a long-term agreement to supply high-strength aluminum alloys to Airbus, becoming the first Korean materials company to secure a direct supply deal with the European planemaker. The agreement, formalized at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, was signed ahead of final product certification, with the quality certification process set to begin in the second half of this year and full-scale production and supply expected to start in 2028. The alloys will be used in Airbus fuselages and wing structures, and the deal reflects Airbus's strategy to secure a stable procurement network amid rising aircraft demand and limited supply of aviation-grade materials. SeAH A&D already supplies Boeing, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Embraer, and is building a new manufacturing facility in Changnyeong, Korea, scheduled to begin operations in 2027 to meet growing global demand.

The global flight simulator market is projected to grow from USD 6.65 billion in 2026 to USD 9.77 billion by 2031, at a compound annual growth rate of 8.0%, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The market was valued at USD 6.22 billion in 2025. Full flight simulators are estimated to account for 64.2% of the market in 2026, while the software segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 9.7%. The Middle East is projected to be the fastest-growing region, driven by fleet expansion and new training centers in countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Key players include CAE Inc., FlightSafety International, Thales, Airbus, and TRU Simulation + Training Inc.

GE Aerospace concluded the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow with commitments for approximately 1,800 engines, including the largest LEAP agreement ever, a memorandum of understanding with IndiGo for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines to power 510 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft. The company also announced additional GEnx wins, with Philippine Airlines selecting GEnx-1B engines for 15 Boeing 787-10 aircraft and AerCap selecting the same engine for 15 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, as the GEnx-1B surpassed 50 million flight hours in just over 14 years, the fastest rate ever for a GE Aerospace commercial widebody engine model. Durability advancements included FAA and EASA certification of the LEAP-1B high-pressure turbine durability kit, designed to double time on wing in hot and harsh environments, and initial engine-level certification of the LEAP-1B reverse bleed system. In future flight achievements, GE Aerospace, in collaboration with NASA, BETA Technologies, and Boeing, completed the first hybrid electric flight above 30,000 feet, while CFM's RISE technology demonstration program has now completed approximately 500 test campaigns and more than 3,000 endurance cycles, with Airbus and CFM revealing the livery design for the A380 flight test demonstration aircraft expected to support Open Fan flight testing later this decade. Defense highlights included a memorandum of understanding with Magellan Aerospace to explore F414 sustainment capabilities in Canada for the Saab Gripen, successful integration testing of the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle on the F110 engine for Shield AI's X-BAT aircraft, and an agreement with Turkish Technic to expand OEM-authorized MRO support for Data Link Control and Display Units in Türkiye.

Airbus and Air Canada have created a C$13.7 million Sustainability Co-Investment Platform focused on sustainable aviation fuel production in Canada. The partners also entered a multi-year SAF purchase agreement and plan to increase engagement with Canadian policymakers on aviation decarbonization. By committing capital and a multi-year offtake arrangement, Airbus is moving beyond its traditional role as an aircraft supplier and engaging earlier in the aviation fuel chain, signaling to airlines, regulators, and competitors such as Boeing and Embraer that it is prepared to share early-stage risk in building a domestic SAF industry.

FDH Aero and Gardner Aerospace have announced a new five-year Global Supply Partnership covering all Airbus commercial single-aisle and twin-aisle programs. Under the multi-site agreement, FDH Aero will support Gardner Aerospace facilities across the UK, France, Poland, India and China with direct line feed, kitting, and C-class commodity management services. The partnership aims to streamline operations, support production ramp-up, and reduce excess inventory. Fred Short, Chief Growth Officer of FDH Hardware, said the companies are committed to delivering reliability and efficiency for Airbus commercial programs, while Ray Venables, Head of Sourcing at Gardner Aerospace, highlighted the goal of improving efficiency and supply resilience across Europe and Asia.

US stocks closed slightly lower, with the Dow falling 6.06 points to 52,218.58, the Nasdaq dropping 146.30 points to 25,690.90, and the S&P 500 declining 10.24 points to 7,498.96. Investors are awaiting earnings reports from major technology companies, including Alphabet and Tesla, the first two of the Magnificent Seven to report second-quarter results after the market close, watching for signs of returns on massive artificial intelligence investments. Alphabet shares closed down 1.5% amid volatility, while Super Micro Computer surged 19.8% after revealing over 60 billion dollars in new orders for the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East pushed WTI crude up 2.95% to 86.83 dollars per barrel and North Sea Brent up 3.36% to 94.07 dollars per barrel, a six-week high, fueling inflation concerns and the likelihood of a Fed rate hike, with traders pricing in a 66% chance of a hold at next week's meeting. European stocks closed higher, with the STOXX 600 index rising 0.58% to 646.93 points, supported by energy and defense stocks. Randstad shares jumped nearly 14% after revenue beat expectations, while Airbus gained 7% after announcing a 5 billion euro share buyback.

France's CAC 40 index advanced firmly on Wednesday morning, gaining 61.00 points or 0.73% to 8,424.14, even as U.S.-Iran tensions escalated and oil prices surged. Brent crude futures jumped $4.00 or 4.41% to $95.02 after the U.S. military carried out its 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran and President Trump vowed to bomb Pickaxe Mountain, while Iranian media reported explosions in Bushehr near the nuclear power plant. Airbus rallied nearly 6% after announcing a €5 billion share buyback program over three years and reaffirming its fiscal 2026 outlook of around 870 commercial aircraft deliveries and adjusted EBIT of around 7.5 billion euros. TotalEnergies gained about 2% on higher crude prices, and Engie also rose nearly 2%, while Danone dropped nearly 2% and Capgemini and Dassault Systemes eased by 1.2% and 1.1% respectively. Investors also awaited the European Central Bank's monetary policy announcement on Thursday.

The global urban air mobility market is projected to grow from $2.16 billion in 2026 to $16.27 billion by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 20.9% for the 2031-2035 period. Rising urban congestion and demand for faster point-to-point transportation are accelerating interest in eVTOL solutions. The tilt-rotor/tilt-wing platform architecture segment is expected to record the highest growth, while the private ownership and use segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2026 to 2030. Asia Pacific captured the largest market share in 2025, driven by severe congestion and government support in China, Japan, and South Korea. Key companies profiled include Joby Aero, Ehang, Archer Aviation, and Airbus.

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has completed integrated lab testing for the European Union's Clean Aviation SWITCH project at The Grid, its advanced electric power systems lab in Rockford, Illinois. The tested hybrid-electric powertrain subsystems, which successfully operated with simulated aircraft and engine systems, are now headed to Airbus's laboratories for further aircraft-level integration testing, including work on aircraft design, battery interfacing and energy-management systems. SWITCH aims to improve engine efficiency for future short- and medium-range aircraft by integrating hybrid-electric systems on a Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, including two Collins megawatt-class motor generators and controllers. Next, The Grid will support the Airbus-led LEIA project, where Collins is technical lead for energy sources, advancing components and aircraft systems for future hybrid-electric short- and medium-range aircraft. Both SWITCH and LEIA are part of the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, a European public-private partnership with a budget of €4.1 billion, and build on ongoing collaboration between Collins and several partners across multiple Clean Aviation projects.

Airbus announced on the 21st a mid-term target of 12 to 13 billion euros in core profit, measured as earnings before interest and taxes, by 2029. The company set an operating profit target of around 10 billion euros for its main commercial aircraft division and also unveiled a 5 billion euro share buyback plan. EBIT for 2025 was 7.13 billion euros, with a target of 7.5 billion euros for 2026, as it plans to boost profit by increasing deliveries while overcoming supply chain disruptions and engine shortages. Commercial aircraft deliveries in the first half of 2026 are expected to rise 15 percent year-on-year, with full-year deliveries seen at 870 aircraft, up 10 percent. Airbus is also considering a significant production increase for the A350 to meet growing demand for wide-body jets, and is looking at introducing variants of the A350 and A220, though it did not specify a decision timeline.

3M is leveraging artificial intelligence and data center technology as part of its ongoing turnaround plan. The company beat earnings expectations and raised its full-year outlook, citing expanded beam optics technology that Microsoft is the first hyperscaler to adopt, which offers lower-cost data center operations. 3M expects this technology to generate 40 to 50 million dollars in annual revenue, with projections to grow four to five times as AI infrastructure expands. The company is also targeting high-margin sectors, including headsets used in the Artemis Orion crew missions and insulation supplied to Airbus for aircraft.

Turkish Airlines has signed an agreement to participate in SAFFA Fund I, LP, an investment fund managed by Burnham Sterling Asset Management LLC that aims to accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel. The fund was established in December 2023 with Airbus as the anchor investor, and its participants also include leading airlines and prominent global aviation and financial institutions. Turkish Airlines' participation supports its access to sustainable aviation fuels and positions the carrier closer to investment, feedstock development, and technology projects shaping the sector's future. Levent Konukcu, deputy general manager of Turkish Airlines, said the investment will help maintain the airline's active role in supporting innovative projects and reinforce its supply security. Michael Dickey Morgan, Executive Managing Director of Burnham Sterling, stated that Turkish Airlines' commitment adds scale to the fund's strategy and signals that leading carriers view the transition as essential for the long term.

3M stock jumped more than 6% in premarket trading on Tuesday after the industrial conglomerate beat Wall Street's earnings expectations and raised its full-year guidance. For the second quarter, 3M reported adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, well above the $2.25 expected by analysts, and adjusted operating margins improved to 24.9%. The company now expects adjusted earnings of $8.80 to $8.95 per share in 2026, up from its previous forecast of up to $8.70 and ahead of analysts' expectations of $8.74. 3M also highlighted that Microsoft is the first hyperscaler to deploy its Expanded Beam Optics technology for AI data centers, announced a long-term agreement with Airbus to supply advanced insulation technologies for the A220 aircraft, and noted its communication headsets were used on NASA's Artemis II mission.

Airbus Helicopters has signed an agreement with Voyageur Aviation to supply the Airbus U030 Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system in Canada. The U030 Flexrotor is a high-endurance, tactical vertical takeoff and landing UAS designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions across military, parapublic, and commercial sectors. It has a maximum launch weight of 25 kilograms and delivers an operational flight endurance of over 12 hours in standard configurations.

The Farnborough International Airshow, one of the world's largest aerospace and defense exhibitions, opened on the 20th in Farnborough, southern England, with Boeing and Airbus announcing a series of major aircraft orders. In the commercial aviation sector, Irish aircraft leasing company SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAX narrow-body jets, while Saudi Arabia's new airline Riyadh Air purchased six Airbus A350-1000 wide-body aircraft. Boeing also received orders for 15 787-10s from Philippine Airlines and an additional 28 787s from Riyadh Air. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, defense companies showcased new products such as low-cost interceptor missiles and drones, highlighting growing demand for enhanced air defense capabilities. Lockheed Martin unveiled a new interceptor missile, the PAC-3 ACE, designed to reduce the cost of countering drones and missiles, with a price expected to be less than half that of its mainstay PAC-3 MSE. European missile maker MBDA also announced the development of a new interceptor system aimed at countering saturation attacks by large numbers of low-cost drones and munitions. The show runs until the 24th, with around 1,600 companies from the commercial aviation, defense, and space sectors participating, and defense-related firms accounting for half of all exhibitors.

Boeing and Airbus each secured commitments for 100 narrowbody jets from SMBC Aviation Capital on the first day of the Farnborough International Airshow. SMBC ordered 100 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, including 65 A321neos and 35 A320neos, and separately committed to 100 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Aviation Capital Group agreed to lease seven Boeing 737-10 aircraft to Japan's Skymark Airlines, with deliveries starting in 2028. On the engine side, Jackson Square Aviation selected Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines for an undisclosed number of Airbus A320neo-family jets. The day also featured defense and electric aviation highlights, including BETA Technologies unveiling the MV250 hybrid-electric autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for military logistics, and Vertical Aerospace completing what it described as the first public eVTOL transition flight at the show.

Jackson Square Aviation has selected Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines to power an undisclosed number of Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The leasing company currently owns 91 A320neo-family aircraft with GTF engines and 11 A320ceo aircraft with V2500 engines. The agreement extends the existing relationship between the two companies. Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, has more than 2,800 GTF-powered aircraft in service with over 90 operators and an order backlog exceeding 8,000 engines. Financial terms and the airlines that will operate the aircraft were not disclosed.

Airbus has secured aircraft orders from Air China and Hainan Airlines with a combined transaction value of about $17.8 billion. Air China agreed to purchase 15 A350-900 widebody aircraft and 40 A320neo-family jets for its subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines in a deal valued at $12.4 billion, while Hainan Airlines separately ordered 40 A320neo aircraft for as much as $5.36 billion. The transactions were disclosed through separate Shanghai Stock Exchange filings on Friday, days before the Farnborough Air Show begins near London. The agreements add to a series of major Airbus sales in China, where the company has gained an advantage over Boeing in the world's second-largest aviation market.

IndiGo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CFM International for an order of more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines to power 510 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, marking the largest single order ever placed for LEAP engines and a record for CFM International. The deal also includes CFM's support in establishing IndiGo's upcoming engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, along with a long-term material services agreement covering spare parts supply to ensure high dispatch reliability and predictable costs. IndiGo CEO Designate Willie Walsh highlighted the LEAP engine's industry-leading reliability as ideal for the airline's scale and sustainability goals, while GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp Jr. noted the engine's improved time on wing in harsh environments. Safran CEO Olivier Andriès emphasized the strategic importance of India as CFM's third-largest market, with over 400 LEAP-powered aircraft and 2,000 engines on order across five Indian carriers.

Honeywell Aerospace has been selected by low-cost airline group IndiGo to supply avionics and power systems for its fleet of 810 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. Under the agreement, Honeywell will provide its 131-9A Auxiliary Power Units, advanced weather radar systems, traffic collision avoidance systems, and flight management systems. The deal also includes a comprehensive aftermarket support program to optimize fleet performance throughout the aircraft's operational life.

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow that British Airways has selected its GTF engines to power 33 firm and 30 option Airbus A320neo aircraft. Under the agreement, Pratt & Whitney will also provide long-term maintenance through a 12-year EngineWise Comprehensive services contract. Aircraft deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027, marking British Airways' debut as a GTF engine customer. The GTF architecture delivers a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and a 75% smaller noise footprint compared to prior-generation engines.

Airbus has secured multi-billion-dollar aircraft orders from Air China, Shenzhen Airlines, and Hainan Airlines, with a combined list-price value of $17.8 billion. The package covers 95 aircraft, including A350-900 widebodies and A320neo-family narrowbodies, for deployment across key Chinese routes. The deals reinforce Airbus's role as a key supplier to Chinese carriers modernizing fleets and targeting lower emissions, aligning with China's carbon-peaking and aviation-decarbonization goals. Deliveries are scheduled between 2029 and 2032, supporting long-term backlog visibility and production-slot allocation in a market where Boeing also competes for share.