EADS (the parent company of both Airbus and Astrium) acquired BAE Systems' 25% stake in Astrium for approximately €84 million, becoming its sole owner .
The transition of into Airbus was not a traditional external acquisition, but rather a strategic internal consolidation within the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) .
The primary driver for the merger was industrial efficiency. By "bundling defense and space under one roof," leadership aimed to share overhead costs and help the satellite business reach a 10% profit-margin goal, which had been difficult to achieve as a standalone entity. Impact on Operations
Seeking to optimize costs and improve profit margins, EADS reorganized into three distinct divisions: Airbus (commercial aircraft), Airbus Helicopters , and Airbus Defence and Space .