Airbus shares fall 12% as company cuts 2024 guidance on targets, deliveries

Shares in Airbus fell by close to 12% on Tuesday after the company said it was cutting its targets for 2024, including aircraft deliveries and earnings.

Airbus on Monday said it was now expecting its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to come in at around 5.5 billion euros ($5.9 billion), down from a previous estimate of 6.5 billion euros to 7 billion euros affirmed on April 25.

The company said it was now anticipating to deliver approximately 770 commercial aircraft this year, compared with a previous outlook near 800. Airbus also delayed its target timeline for ramping up the production of its A320 aircraft.

Europe-listed shares in the company were down 11.96% at 1:30 p.m. London time.

The guidance cuts are partly linked to supply chain issues in Airbus' commercial aircraft business, the company said.

"Airbus is facing persistent specific supply chain issues mainly in engines, aerostructures and cabin equipment," the firm noted.

Airbus said it was also facing additional costs in its space systems division. It had recognized "commercial and technical challenges" in the business and was therefore recording charges of around 900 million euros in the first half of 2024, Airbus said.  

"These are mainly related to updated assumptions on schedules, workload, sourcing, risks and costs over the lifetime of certain telecommunications, navigation and observation programmes," the company said.

Airbus' half-year results are set to be released on July 30.

Earlier this year, Airbus' operating profit for the first quarter came in weaker than expected, with CFO Thomas Toepfer at the time telling CNBC that company earnings were "not particularly strong."