Airbus Industrie profits slumped sharply to $150 million in 1997 despite a strong rise in sales to $11.6 billion, according to figures released by partner Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa). The consortium does not publish its profits, but Dasa made them public for the first time in its 1996 annual accounts. Airbus had then posted profits of around $450 million on sales of only $8.8 billion. Analysts point to stiff competition with Boeing as the cause of this year's fall. The figures relate only to the consortium's surplus on aircraft sales and not to earnings from operations at the four partners.
Source: Flight International
