Aircraft Industry: Boeing Plane Deliveries Hit Record; Airbus Wins On Orders

Airbus 380 escorted by Eurofighters

Boeing said on Tuesday that it delivered 723 jetliners in 2014, hitting its own target, setting .
an industry record and retaining its title as the world's biggest plane maker, beating rival Airbus Group.

Boeing set company records by booking 1,550 gross orders and 1,432 net orders worth $232.7 billion at list prices in 2014. Net orders, which account for cancellations, rose 6 percent from the prior year.

Airbus is expected to announce next week that it was ahead ofBoeing on both gross orders and net orders, according to the person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified.

Airbus is expecting "one of the best years ever" in orders, according to a source at the European plane maker, speaking earlier on Tuesday. In 2013, the company booked 1,619 gross orders and 1,503 net orders.

While investors closely watch orders, deliveries measure the ability to convert orders into cash, since the bulk of aircraft payments come when airlines fly them away from the factory.

Boeing's report suggested stable or growing production rates and also showed its progress in selling end-of-production jets as it transitions to newer models.

The company delivered 126 of its 737s in the fourth quarter, for example, precisely hitting its target of 42 planes a month. In 2014, it delivered 485 of the jets, a record.

Meanwhile, Boeing delivered its 787 at a rate of nearly 12 a month in the final quarter, up from about nine a month in the rest of the year, when production problems slowed output.

That is above the current production rate of 10 a month.

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