Airbus forecasts 2,670 cargo aircraft as Airbus stock sits 18.09 percent below RBC target

Published on 10/22/2026 at 12:18 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Airbus targets 870 deliveries in 2026. Airbus stock costs EUR 196.59 on October 22, 2026, 0.74 percent below the Xetra close of EUR 198.06.

Cargo outlook and earnings date

Airbus presented a 2,670-aircraft cargo market forecast on October 21, 2026.
Adjusted EBIT reached EUR 2.7 billion in the first half of 2026.
Airbus stock trades at EUR 196.59 at 12:10 p.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 22, 2026, 0.74 percent below the Xetra close of October 21, 2026.
RBC cut its Airbus target from EUR 250 to EUR 240 on October 15, 2026.
Airbus will publish nine-month 2026 results on October 28, 2026.

Airbus SE Langstreckenjet startet bei Sonnenuntergang vom Rollfeld — Airbus SE (NL0000235190): Weitkörper-Passagierjet beim Abheben in dramatischem Goldstundenlicht – kraftvolles Symbol europäischer Luftfahrt, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Airbus (ISIN NL0000235190) presented a forecast for 2,670 cargo aircraft through 2045 on October 21, 2026, while Airbus stock stood 18.09 percent below RBC's EUR 240 target. Ideal Investisseur reported the forecast, and MarketScreener reported RBC's target change on October 15, 2026.

Cargo demand gives Airbus a longer runway

Airbus said the global dedicated freighter fleet could rise from 2,360 aircraft in 2026 to 3,460 in 2045. The forecast calls for 970 new aircraft and 1,700 passenger-aircraft conversions, with the A350F, A320, A321 and A330 families included in the outlook.

The same forecast estimates annual air-freight traffic growth of 3.20 percent over the next two decades. Asia-Pacific to North America is projected to grow 3.80 percent annually, making cargo demand a measurable long-term factor for Airbus's wide-body and conversion programs.

Chronology adds pressure before results

On July 29, 2026, Airbus reported adjusted EBIT of EUR 2.7 billion for the first half of 2026. On September 11, 2026, the company announced a limited share buyback for employee share ownership and compensation plans. On October 21, 2026, Airbus presented its 2,670-aircraft cargo forecast. The first-half figures come from the Airbus investor page.

What does the target mean for margins?

The near-term test is execution rather than cargo demand. Airbus's first-half free cash flow before customer financing was minus EUR 1.2 billion, while its 2026 guidance targets 870 commercial aircraft deliveries, adjusted EBIT of EUR 7.5 billion and free cash flow before customer financing of EUR 4.5 billion. Airbus also says nine-month results will be released on October 28, 2026.

Next date is October 28

The next substantiated event is Airbus's nine-month 2026 results release on October 28, 2026, followed by the earnings release analyst call at 7:30 p.m. CET, according to Airbus's financial-results page.

Stock trades below the RBC target

Airbus stock was trading at EUR 196.59 at Lang & Schwarz on October 22, 2026 at 12:10 p.m. CEST, down 0.74 percent versus the Xetra close of October 21, 2026 at EUR 198.06. The current price is 18.09 percent below RBC's EUR 240 target published on October 15, 2026.

The next catalyst is the nine-month report, where deliveries and cash conversion will be tested against the 870-aircraft and EUR 4.5 billion free-cash-flow goals.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Airbus stock.