Boeing has beaten most forecasts by reporting a net profit rise of 61% to $1.1 billion for the third quarter. It also lifted its outlook despite recently announced delays in its key 787 Dreamliner programme.
The aerospace giant's profit for the third quarter translates to $1.44 per share, well ahead of the average Wall Street forecast. Revenues grew 12% from the same period a year ago to $16.5 billion.
The company, in a dogfight with Europe's Airbus for supremacy in civil aviation, raised its per-share profit outlook for the full year to $5.05 to $5.15 and increased its revenue outlook to $66 billion.
The improved outlook came despite a six-month delay announced earlier this month in its 787 Dreamliner programme, the new jet seen as the future profit driver for the US aviation giant.
The strong jump in profits was helped by a favourable comparison with Q3 last year, when Boeing took a charge of $280m to cancel its programme for internet access in its aircraft.
Boeing said its commercial aircraft unit booked 354 orders during the quarter and 903 in the first nine months. Its backlog rose to a record $224 billion.
Its commercial plane division delivered an operating profit of $945m as revenues jumped 23% to $8.3 billion in the July-September quarter. Its defence and space division provided a gross operating profit of $824m as revenues rose 3% to $8 billion.
