Paris  - Shares of European aerospace giant EADS soared by more than 5 per cent in early trading Wednesday on the Paris Bourse after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for the first quarter of 2008.

EADS posted profits of 285 million euros (441.75 million dollars) for the period, compared to a loss of 10 million euros in the first quarter of last year, the company said in a press statement.

Turnover for the quarter was 9.85 billion euros, up by 10 per cent over the same period in 2008.

Pre-goodwill and exceptionals earnings (EBIT) stood at 769 million euros, a near nine-fold increase over the same period in 2007.

EADS raised its order intake to 39.3 billion euros in the first three months of 2008, from 10.5 billion euros in 2007.

The impressive results were achieved "despite a difficult economic environment and a weak US dollar," EADS said.

EADS chief Louis Gallois said, "Though many serious challenges have been overcome there remains much to do in order to secure the significant and lasting improvement in operational performance we are targeting. But first-quarter results are encouraging in that respect."

The results were announced one day after EADS's subsidiary Airbus announced that deliveries of its flagship A380 superjumbo aircraft would experience new delays.

Gallois told RTL radio on Wednesday that the new delivery delays, the fourth such setback for the A380 programme in two years, were "not a catastrophe."

Gallois noted that in the year 2010, Airbus would deliver 30 to 40 A380 planes to its customers, instead of the 42 foreseen.

He also said that discussions were under way with A380 customers regarding financial compensation for the delays. (dpa)