Pilatus soars in 2023 with record sales, strong demand

The Pilatus Group capped off a stellar 2023 with a 10% year-over-year jump in sales, reaching CHF1.5bn compared with the previous year’s CHF1.3bn, the company’s key performance indicators showed. This impressive growth can be attributed to a surge in aircraft deliveries in both business aviation and government markets.

“These impressive results will provide the basis for a promising, successful, sustainable future,” declared Markus Bucher, CEO, Pilatus. His optimism rests on the company’s strong financial performance and continued demand for its popular aircraft models.

The breakdown of sales highlights the dominance of the business aviation unit, contributing nearly 71.8% to the total revenue. The remaining 28.2% stemmed from the government unit.

Geographically, the Americas emerged as the biggest buyer of Pilatus aircraft, absorbing nearly 48.4% of total sales. Europe followed closely at 29.5%, with Asia, Australia, and Africa making up the remaining market share.

The company delivered a total of 148 aircraft in 2023, showcasing its robust production capabilities. The PC-12 turboprop continued its reign, with 101 units delivered, while the PC-24 twinjet saw strong demand with 47 deliveries. However, the company did not book PC-21 and PC-6 sales during the year.

While sales translated to a higher EBIDTA income of CHF240m compared to CHF220m, the EBIDTA margin experienced a slight decrease from 16.8% to 16.2%. This suggests rising operational costs.

Despite a slight decline from the previous year, the company’s orderbook value stands at CHF1.5bn, while new orders reached CHF1.3bn.