Airbus Profits Rose More Than €30 Million Amid ‘Complex’ 2022

The aerospace manufacturer reported an order backlog of 7,239 commercial aircraft at the end of the year.

Net order intake across Airbus was 820 aircraft units (after cancellations) in 2022, up from 507 units in 2021, a 62 percent overall increase. However, Airbus Helicopters reported a net order intake of 362, down from 414 in 2021, a 13 percent decrease, but with a revenue increase of 8 percent, according to its release. All other segments reported increases or held steady. 

Stockholders are likely to receive increased dividends this year, the company said in a statement. “The Board of Directors will propose the payment of a 2022 dividend of €1.80 per share (2021: €1.50 per share) to the 2023 Annual General Meeting,’’ taking place on April 19, 2023. The proposed payment date is April 27, 2023, Airbus said.

Airbus Consolidated’s revenues in 2022 were €58.8 billion, an increase of 13 percent over €52.1 billion in 2021. Airbus delivered 50 more commercial aircraft in 2022 than it did in 2021. Its commercial aircraft include the A220, A320, and A350s. The company reported commercial aircraft revenues were up 15 percent from 2021. 

"2022 was indeed a complex year," said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, in his opening remarks at a press conference Thursday morning. "We faced an adverse operating environment… Almost one year ago to the day, Russia invaded Ukraine. Furthermore, we had to adapt to a complex operating environment, and in particular, an adverse supply backdrop which eventually led to fewer commercial aircraft deliveries than originally planned. This means it will take us two years to achieve what we had planned to do in one."

Faury cautiously but optimistically predicted continued growth for Airbus in 2023, adding that, “looking beyond the numbers, what will our priorities be in 2023? This year more than ever, the main priority is to ramp up commercial aircraft productions [sic]. In the persisting adverse environment we're facing, we will closely work with our suppliers in order to adapt our production to match supply.”