Bombardier delivered one fewer business jet overall in the third quarter for a total of 30 but still posted a 12% increase in revenues as its Global shipments edged up, pricing remained strong, and its services business continued to expand.
Announcing the company's third-quarter results on Thursday morning, Bombardier president and CEO Éric Martel cited the supply chain as the reason for the slight decrease. But he emphasized that the company remains on track to meet its guidance of 150 to 155 deliveries this year and has a line of sight on materials necessary to meet that goal.
In the quarter, Bombardier shipped 13 super-midsize Challengers versus 16 in the same period a year ago. However, it also handed over 17 ultra-long-range Globals, up from 15 in third-quarter 2023. In the first nine months, Bombardier delivered 99 jets (45 Challengers and 44 Globals) versus 82 (39 Challengers and 43 Globals) in the same period last year.
Revenues in the quarter reached $2.073 billion, up from $1.856 billion a year ago. This helped drive a profit of $117 million in the quarter, a marked turnaround from the $37 million loss in third-quarter 2023. Helping bolster those results was its $528 million in services revenue, topping the half-billion mark for the second consecutive quarter and pushing the airframer toward meeting its goal of $2 billion in annual revenue a year earlier than the planned 2025.
“Overall, we are successfully ramping up large service expansion,” Martel said. “We are capturing more heavy maintenance, as well as capturing power-by-the-hour customers.”
The upswing in service revenues comes as Bombardier has added 1 million sq ft of service center space in recent years. Martel said the company is continuing to explore where growth may be further necessary, saying the company sees needs globally. However, he pointed to the U.S., Middle East, and Asia-Pacific in particular.
As for the fourth quarter, he noted that seasonally it is usually the busiest in terms of deliveries. “With the exception that we are still working through the same supply-chain headache as the rest of the industry. I am happy to reaffirm that we are all prepared,” Martel maintained.
Noting that he reviews operations daily, Martel added, “We have an excellent line of sight on all deliveries for the next two months. Our team has worked hard to ensure inventories are in place and the completion sites are equipped to do what they do best when it comes to service volumes.”
Delays involve fewer suppliers overall, he said, but everyone matters in the production flow. Martel cited engines as an example of where the struggles are ongoing.
He reaffirmed that Bombardier is on track with stable production over the next several years in line with this year. Backlog grew to $14.7 billion at the end of the quarter from $14.2 billion a year ago. But book-to-bill remains at the company’s targeted 1:1.
“In terms of keeping our book-to-bill on pace, the market is well balanced and is providing to be resilient,” Martel said. “Of course, that doesn't mean it's excellent everywhere at all, all at once. But that being said, we continue to be successful because we focus on what we control.”
He further noted that the company has ramped up its international presence and continues to build on the defense business.
Bombardier executive v-p and CFO Bart Demosky was encouraged by the strength in pricing that also contributed to the revenue increase. This continues a trend post-Covid that appears to have persisted even two years later, he added.