FTAI Aviation approves $500 million share buyback after strong quarter for aviation products
Key Facts
FTAI Aviation said on September 15, 2026, that its board had authorized a program to repurchase up to $500 million of its common shares. The announcement came ahead of the company’s third-quarter results, which it said it would report before the market opened on October 29, with an investor call the same day at 8 a.m. Eastern time. The program does not require the company to buy a specific number of shares, according to its statement. It said the timing and volume of purchases would depend on factors including share performance and market conditions. The program allows the company to suspend, modify or discontinue purchases, and will end on September 30, 2029, or when purchases are completed, whichever comes first. The company said it expects to fund purchases from available cash.
In its previous results, net income attributable to shareholders was $117.585 million in the second quarter of 2026, while basic earnings per share were $1.15 and diluted earnings per share were $1.13. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization were $291.444 million in the quarter. Aviation products generated $875 million in revenue and $249.7 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Those figures represented year-over-year increases of 78% in revenue and 51% in adjusted earnings for aviation products compared with the second quarter of 2025. Chief Executive Joe Adams said the company delivered “record performance for aviation products” in the quarter, alongside a major contract for FTAI Power. He also cited the expansion of its maintenance network in Indonesia and Egypt and the launch of the 2026 SPV investment vehicle.
In July, the company had provided preliminary 2027 guidance of $2.3 billion in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for its combined businesses. The guidance comprised $1.4 billion for aviation products, $450 million for power and $450 million for leasing. On September 28, FTAI announced that it had acquired 27 Boeing 737-700 aircraft from WestJet, including 17 aircraft leased under a sale-leaseback transaction and 10 out-of-service aircraft to support its aviation products business. In announcing the deal, the company said its previous strategic capital vehicle, 2025 SPV, had raised $2 billion in capital commitments and allocated about $6 billion to more than 300 aircraft. It then announced on October 8 a multiyear maintenance, repair and exchange agreement with United Airlines, expanding its engine exchange program to include CFM56-7B engines after the collaboration began with V2500 engines. The chief executive said the agreement would help United keep its aircraft in service and make maintenance costs more predictable, while FTAI performs the maintenance visits.
FTAI shares closed at $167.14 on October 28, the day before the company was scheduled to report third-quarter results before the market opened. The company is scheduled to hold an investor meeting in New York on December 10, 2026, to review its strategy and long-term growth opportunities across aviation products, strategic capital and power. The meeting follows the company’s preliminary 2027 business guidance, divided among aviation products, power and leasing. The buyback announcement cited a ceiling of up to $500 million, while leaving the size and timing of execution subject to market conditions and the company’s decision. The third-quarter results were scheduled to be announced on October 29, according to the timetable the company released.