January 12, 2010
Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer said on Tuesday it delivered a record 244 jets in 2009, buoyed by demand for executive aircraft that helped it beat its target for the year.
Deliveries totaled 91 in the fourth quarter, helping push the total for the year above the 242 expected for 2009.
Embraer shares were little changed at 9.55 reais in late morning trade, compared with a 1.4 percent drop in the benchmark Bovespa index .BVSP.
Embraer, short for Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica, said deliveries of commercial aircraft, including the 170 and 190 models, totaled 26 in the fourth quarter, pushing the total for 2009 to 122.
Embraer delivered 115 executive jets in 2009, with 61 of those in the final three months of the year. Military deliveries accounted for the remaining four deliveries in the fourth quarter.
Sales of executive jets, including the Phenom, Legacy and Lineage models, account for 15 percent of Embraer's total revenue. The company's firm order backlog reached $16.6 billion at the end of 2009.
Embraer is the world's leading manufacturer of regional jets seating up to 120 passengers. It also makes business jets and military aircraft.
By: Elzio Barreto and Derek Caney
Source: Reuters
