Boeing delivered record 723 jetliners in 2014

Boeing said yesterday that it delivered 723 jetliners in 2014, achieving its target. The company also set an industry record in the process and retained its title as the world's biggest plane maker, bettering rival Airbus Group.

However, the company lost out to Airbus on new orders, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.  New orders are key to determine future market share in the industry.

The company booked 1,550 gross orders and 1,432 net orders worth $232.7 billion at list prices in 2014. Net orders, which account for cancellations, were up 6 per cent from the prior year.

Airbus is likely announce next week that it had overtaken Boeing on both gross orders and net orders, according to the CNBC source, who asked not to be identified.

Airbus was expecting "one of the best years ever" in orders, a source at the European plane maker, speaking earlier on Tuesday said. The company's order log for 2013 showed 1,619 gross orders booked and 1,503 net orders.

While investors keep close watch on orders, deliveries measure the ability to convert orders into cash, since the bulk of aircraft payments come customers fly them away from the factory.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Times reported that Boeing delivered 75 more airliners than last year's record high.

The increase was due largely to the ramp-up in production of the 787 Dreamliner, as also faster production of the 737 single-aisle domestic jet.

The year saw Boeing deliver 114 Dreamliners four more than its target.

The jet maker surpassed the 2007 high of 713  deliveries only last year as for four years after that high, the global financial crisis sharply cut sales, however orders had steadily recovered since 2012.

Due to the newly launched 777X, Boeing's 2014 orders were more than usually skewed toward expensive wide-body jets.

Boeing bagged 283 orders for its 777s, which included 220 for the coming 777Xs.

The 737 remained a huge seller, with 1,104 net orders last year, with 891 orders for the new 737 Max models.

With Airbus to release its 2014 performance data next week, it was still not clear which manufacturers sold more airplanes, though it was clear that Boeing would beat Airbus on jet deliveries.