Boeing Reports Strongest Quarterly Earnings in Years
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 30 2026
0mins
Should l Buy BA?
Source: Fool
- Significant Revenue Growth: Boeing's first-quarter revenue surged 14% year-over-year to $22.2 billion, indicating positive progress in the company's recovery efforts, although full recovery remains a challenge.
- Strong Defense Segment Performance: The defense segment reported a 21% revenue increase to $7.6 billion this quarter, reflecting robust defense demand and further enhancing the company's financial stability.
- Record Backlog: Boeing's backlog reached a record high of $695 billion with over 6,100 commercial airplane orders, signaling healthy market demand for Boeing's products and boosting confidence in future growth.
- Risks and Challenges Ahead: Despite the positive performance, Boeing faces risks related to manufacturing and engineering setbacks, along with significant debt levels; under CEO Kelly Ortberg's leadership, the company shows signs of improvement but must navigate potential challenges cautiously in 2026.
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Analyst Views on BA
Wall Street analysts forecast BA stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 231.030
Low
150.00
Averages
269.14
High
298.00
Current: 231.030
Low
150.00
Averages
269.14
High
298.00
About BA
The Boeing Company is an aerospace company. Its segments include Commercial Airplanes (BCA), Defense, Space & Security (BDS), and Global Services (BGS). Its BCA segment develops, produces and markets commercial jet aircraft principally for the commercial airline industry worldwide. Its family of commercial jet aircraft in production includes the 737 narrow-body model and the 767, 777 and 787 wide-body models. Its BDS segment is engaged in the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for strike, surveillance and mobility. Its BGS segment provides services to its commercial and defense customers worldwide. It sustains aerospace platforms and systems with a range of products and services, including supply chain and logistics management, engineering, maintenance and modifications, upgrades and conversions, spare parts, pilot and maintenance training systems and services, technical and maintenance documents, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Trade War Impact: The ongoing tariff war has resulted in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods reaching 145%, while China's retaliatory tariffs hit 125%, severely disrupting Boeing's supply chain and negatively affecting its overall business performance.
- Future Order Outlook: Despite the delivery halt, Boeing's CEO indicated during the latest earnings call that China could soon place a “big number” of aircraft orders, suggesting that potential demand in the Chinese market remains, particularly if U.S.-China relations improve.
- Market Reaction: While retail investor sentiment around Boeing is leaning bearish, there is still optimism regarding the CEO's upcoming visit to China with President Trump, as this could potentially lead to new order opportunities for Boeing.
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- Accident Background: The crash occurred last year, leading to significant loss of life, and the civil aviation department's investigation aims to determine the cause of the accident to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of air travel.
- Public Interest: As the investigation nears completion, public anticipation for the final report increases, particularly regarding aviation safety and accountability, which could impact the public image of airlines and their operations.
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See More
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- Delayed Invitations: The last-minute nature of the invitations, attributed to disagreements within the administration regarding the delegation's size and invitees, may affect the willingness of executives to attend and the overall impact of the summit.
- Historical Comparison: Compared to Trump's 2017 visit, which featured 29 executives, this reduced delegation size suggests that the summit may yield less in terms of economic cooperation, reflecting the complexities of current U.S.-China relations.
See More
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- Historical Comparison: Compared to the 29 executives who accompanied Trump in 2017, this year's smaller delegation indicates a cautious approach by the U.S. government, especially when contrasted with other Western leaders who brought much larger groups.
- Trade Negotiation Focus: The summit aims to facilitate China's first major Boeing order since 2017, potentially involving 500 737 MAX jets, while discussions also include extending the trade truce, illustrating the complex dynamics of U.S.-China trade policies.
See More
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- Reduced Business Delegation: While CEOs from Boeing and Citigroup are expected to accompany Trump, the delegation size may be halved compared to over 30 executives during last year's Saudi visit, potentially impacting the perception and influence of American businesses in China.
- Potential Deal Opportunities: Trump is anticipated to secure agreements on Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans and Boeing aircraft at the summit, which not only helps ease trade tensions but also opens new growth avenues for U.S. agriculture and aerospace sectors.
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- Divergent Tech Stock Performance: As AI-related stocks pull back, cybersecurity software stocks like CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks surged, crossing $500 and $190 respectively for the first time, indicating increased market confidence in their business models and potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Boeing Stock Rise: Boeing's shares rose as CEO Kelly Ortberg is set to accompany President Trump on his trip to China, with the market anticipating a major order of up to 500 planes, although skepticism remains regarding the order's realization.
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