Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) reported a robust 24% year-on-year increase in revenue to $843.6 million in the first half of 2025, up from $679.2 million in the same period last year, driven by its strategic acquisition of Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) and improved operational efficiency.
The aircraft lessor’s profit before tax jumped 228% to $506.8 million from $154.3 million in H1 2024. The company also reported a pre-tax margin of 25.7% and return on equity of 13.3%, indicating strong underlying profitability.
Operating cash flow reached $659 million, while total assets rose sharply to nearly $16 billion by end-June 2025, compared with $13 billion at the close of 2024. The asset increase was primarily attributed to the $2 billion acquisition of NAC in May, which significantly expanded DAE’s fleet and global footprint.
With the acquisition, DAE’s fleet now stands at approximately 750 aircraft across owned, managed, and committed assets — reflecting a nearly 50% growth. During the reporting period, the company acquired 236 aircraft and disposed of 35.
Commenting on the integration process, Firoz Tarapore, CEO of DAE, said:
“We have fully integrated the front office functions and are on track to fully integrate all middle- and back-office functions and systems by the end of this quarter.”
DAE’s scale-up reinforces Dubai’s position as a key global hub for aviation leasing, with the emirate continuing to benefit from rising demand for next-generation, fuel-efficient aircraft and the steady recovery in international air traffic.
–Input WAM
