As Honeywell Aerospace readies for its stand-alone debut, its CEO is forecasting big growth
In this article HON Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — For Honeywell Aerospace CEO Jim Currier, it's time to
In this article HON Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT watch now SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — For Honeywell Aerospace CEO Jim Currier, it's time to show investors what his company can do as a stand-alone business. "We have a purpose-built management team just solely focused on one strategy, one mission as opposed to disparate missions of a conglomerate," Currier told CNBC at his company's investor day. When it's officially spun off from its parent company later this month, Honeywell Aerospace will be aggressively pushing its advantages in avionics, engine control systems and a host of technologies from the nose to tail of commercial airplanes, business jets and military aircraft.
The hope is to accelerate growth. As a stand-alone company, Honeywell Aerospace expects to generate full-year 2026 adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of $4.65 billion to $4.75 billion with free cash flow in the second half of the year of between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. By 2030 Honeywell is targeting annual earnings of at least $6.5 billion and full-year free cash flow of at least $4 billion. "The greatest growth for us is occurring in the commercial transport market and in defense and space," Currier said Wednesday. "We have opportunities where we are well positioned in our products and technologies." Currier added Honeywell has "record" backlog orders from Airbus and Boeing.
Why separate Honeywell As a part of Honeywell International over the last several decades, the aerospace division became one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers in the commercial and business aviation markets as well as in the defense industry. From flight management systems in the cockpit to engine controls under the wing to the auxiliary power unit in the tail, its technology and components are in thousands of planes. Last year the business generated profits topping $4.2 billion with margins of 24.5%. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Those results failed to impress investors, however, because they were clouded by the overall results of Honeywell, a conglomerate struggling to generate the stock returns enjoyed by the market and competing companies in the last several years.
Since June 2023, Honeywell shares have gained about 20%, compared to the S&P 500's roughly 77% gains. That underperformance is a primary reason Honeywell decided in 2024 to eventually break up operations into three separate companies: Solstice Advanced Materials, Honeywell Technologies and Honeywell Aerospace. "Essentially, on the other side of the separation... each business is positioned so well for the market it serves," Honeywell CEO Vimal Kapur told CNBC last month. Converting aerospace skeptics
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