LONDON-- Airbus Group NV on Thursday reported a rise in
first-quarter earnings bolstered by the sale of a stake in French
combat jet maker Dassault Aviation SA, even as the underlying
business began 2015 slowly.
Net income for the period was EUR792 million ($880 million)
compared with EUR439 million a year earlier, the Toulouse-based
plane maker said in a statement.
The company's earnings in the period were boosted by a EUR697
million net gain from the sale of a 17.5% stake in Dassault
Aviation, it said.
"We had a good start into 2015, with a solid operational
performance and improved cash generation, further supported by
asset sales," Chief Executive Tom Enders said.
Sales declined 4% to EUR12.1 billion, the world's second-largest
maker of commercial jetliners said. Airbus delivered 134 jets in
the first three months of the year compared with 141 in the year
prior period.
The European plane maker's closely watched earnings before
interest and taxes excluding some one-time items retreated 7% to
EUR651 million.
The company remains on track to meet full-year targets, Mr.
Enders said. That includes meeting a long-promised commitment to
start delivering A380 superjumbos from this year which no longer
lose money.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
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