Boeing Co. delivered a record 806 commercial aircraft in 2018, edging out Airbus SE to retain the crown as world's largest plane-maker as both manufacturers kept factories churning late into December to overcome earlier supplier shortfalls.
The U.S. industrial titan also revealed a last-minute flurry of aircraft orders, enabling it to sell more jets than it built in 2018. Boeing netted orders for 893 jetliners last year with a list value of $143.7 billion, padding its backlog and easing investor concerns that U.S.-China trade tensions and whipsawing oil prices could soften demand for new planes.
For Boeing and Airbus, aerospace's dueling duopolists, year-end order and delivery totals provide bragging rights — and a first hint of the company earnings reports to be announced over the next month. Airbus met its twice-lowered delivery goal of 800 jets in 2018, according to preliminary results released Tuesday.