By KERRY LYNCH • Editor, AIN monthly magazine
March 4, 2024

Preowned business jet inventory soared by 32 percent year-over-year in February, while prices softened by 5 percent, according to financial analyst Jefferies. Citing data from Amstat along with its own estimates, Jefferies said the increased inventory crossed all segments with available heavy jets up by 37 percent, medium jets up by 32 percent, and light jets up by 28 percent.

Inventories of jets less than seven years out of production have increased by 35 percent year-over-year. However, the available inventory, at 4.3 percent of the business jet fleet, is still below the five-year average of 5.1 percent, Jefferies reported.
Overall, 1,094 business jets were available for sale in February, compared with 1,078 units a month prior and 831 in February 2023. The 2023 figures were near lows.

Inventory of in-production Dassault Falcons saw the biggest jump last month, up 80 percent from a year ago, Jefferies reported. However, this is from a small base with a total of 18 aircraft for sale. Meanwhile, Cessna Citation inventory climbed 49 percent year-over-year, with 104 units for sale. Jefferies said the Citation Mustang drove the increase.

Bombardier inventories were up 45 percent to 58 aircraft. This was a result of an 86 percent jump in Challengers on the market, which numbered just seven a year ago. Gulfstream inventories increased 33 percent, to 69 jets, including 13 G650s. Jefferies also noted that Amstat numbers show that the Savannah, Georgia manufacturer has now produced 53 G700s, implying 46 for customers.

Conversely, Embraer inventory shrunk by 16 percent, to 26 business jets, with a dwindling number of Legacy 650s and Phenom 100s for sale.

As for pricing, while down 5 percent from February 2023, it ticked up a point over January. The Dassault fleet marked the only increase, up 7 percent year-over-year. The Falcon 900 series alone is up 59 percent. Gulfstream pricing is off by 12 percent; Embraer Executive Jets, -9 percent; Bombardier, -6 percent; and Cessna Citation, -3 percent.