FRANKFURT (S&P Global Ratings) Jan. 29, 2020--S&P Global Ratings said today that Airbus SE's agreement to settle with authorities is positive since it ends the uncertainty regarding the investigation's impact on the group's operations or financial profile. Despite paying potentially €3.6 billion in fines, Airbus (A+/Stable/A-1+) will likely continue to post very strong credit metrics, including a net cash position over the next years, and retain significant headroom at the current rating level. Airbus confirmed on Jan. 28, 2020, that it has reached an agreement in principle with the French Parquet National Financier, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office, and U.S. authorities following nearly four years of investigations into allegations of bribery, corruption, and compliance breaches related to the U.S. International
