Boeing has reported a 7% increase in third-quarter revenue to $23.8 billion on higher deliveries. Core earnings per share (non-GAAP) increased 19% to $2.14, driven by strong performance across the company's businesses. Third-quarter core operating earnings (non-GAAP) increased 13% to $2.4 billion from the same period of the prior year. GAAP earnings per share was $1.86 and GAAP earnings from operations was $2.1 billion.
Commercial Airplanes operating margin guidance increased to approximately 10.5%.
"Continued strong operating performance across our production and services businesses drove significant growth in earnings-per-share, and enabled us to continue to capture new business, pushing our order backlog to a record $490 billion," said Boeing Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney. "We added net new orders for 501 commercial airplanes, launched the high-capacity 737 MAX 200, captured a NASA contract for the Commercial Crew program, and returned $1.5 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases."
"With three solid quarters behind us and confidence in our ongoing performance, we are increasing our earnings per share outlook for 2014, as our team remains focused on providing value to our customers and shareholders, profitably ramping up airplane production, executing on our development programs, and driving productivity and affordability throughout the enterprise," McNerney said.
Operating cash flow before pension contributions in the quarter was $1.7 billion, reflecting commercial airplane production rates, strong operating performance and timing of receipts and expenditures. During the quarter, the company repurchased 8 million shares for $1 billion, leaving $5.8 billion remaining under the current repurchase authorization expected to be completed over approximately the next one to two years. The company also paid $0.5 billion in dividends in the quarter.
Total company backlog at quarter-end was a record $490 billion, up from $440 billion at the beginning of the quarter, and included net orders for the quarter of $73 billion.
Commercial Airplanes third-quarter revenue increased 15% to a record $16.1 billion on higher deliveries. Third-quarter operating margin was 11.2%, reflecting the dilutive impact of 787 and 747-8 deliveries and higher period costs partially offset by the delivery volume and continued strong operating performance.
During the quarter, the company launched the 737 MAX 200 with a commitment from Ryanair for 100 airplanes. Due to the continued strong demand for the 737 family of airplanes, the company intends to increase the 737 production rate from 42 to 47 per month in 2017, with recently announced plans to increase to 52 per month in 2018. Also during the quarter, the first GEnx-powered 787-9 Dreamliner was delivered.
Commercial Airplanes booked 501 net orders during the quarter. Backlog remains strong with over 5,500 airplanes valued at a record $430 billion.