Boeing Posts Robust Fourth-Quarter Revenue Surge as Aircraft Deliveries Accelerate

Boeing reported a sharp increase in fourth-quarter revenue, signaling continued progress in the manufacturer’s effort to rebound from years of operational and financial turmoil. The company generated $23.95 billion in the final three months of 2025, a 57 percent jump from the same period a year earlier and ahead of consensus forecasts compiled by LSEG.

The performance was driven chiefly by higher commercial jet hand-offs. Boeing delivered 600 airplanes in 2025, nearly twice the 2024 total and the highest annual figure since 2018. Customers typically make the majority of their payments upon receipt of an aircraft, so deliveries remain a primary revenue catalyst for the aerospace group.

Results exceed market expectations

Fourth-quarter cash flow reached approximately $400 million, about double what analysts had projected. Still, the company recorded an adjusted loss of $1.12 per share, considerably wider than the 39-cent loss Wall Street had anticipated. That metric excludes an $11.83 per-share gain stemming from the $9.6 billion divestiture of the Jeppesen navigation-services unit.

Boeing’s commercial airplanes segment contributed $11.38 billion to quarterly revenue, nearly 140 percent higher than the prior-year period and above StreetAccount estimates. Defense, space and security generated $7.42 billion, up 37 percent year on year.

The improvement follows several challenging years that began with the worldwide grounding of the 737 Max in 2019 after two fatal accidents. Subsequent supply-chain disruptions, pandemic-related demand shocks and assorted production flaws forced the company to consume roughly $40 billion in cash between early 2019 and the third quarter of 2025.

Delivery pace gains momentum

During December, Boeing transferred 63 jetliners to customers, including 44 737 Max aircraft. Management has outlined plans to raise monthly 737 production but must first secure approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which capped output at 42 units per month following a mid-air panel blowout in January 2024.

Certification timelines for three key programs remain unresolved. Regulators have yet to clear the 737 Max 7, the larger 737 Max 10 and the 777X twin-engine wide-body, the latter slated to become Boeing’s largest passenger jet. Investors are also awaiting updates on delayed defense platforms, including the two 747s designated as the next U.S. presidential aircraft.

Comparison with European rival

Although Boeing’s 600 deliveries marked a strong rebound, the total still trailed Airbus’s 793 shipments in 2025. The European manufacturer’s figure, however, remained below its record 863 deliveries set in 2019. On the order front, Boeing booked 1,173 net aircraft sales last year, surpassing Airbus’s 889 as airlines locked in delivery slots extending into the 2030s. Recent long-term commitments from Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines underpin that pipeline.

Imagem: Internet

Outlook for 2026 and beyond

Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg, who returned from retirement in 2024 to steer the recovery, told employees that the company has “a lot to be optimistic about” heading into 2026. Boeing projects positive free cash flow between $1 billion and $3 billion for the year, with a longer-term objective of reaching $10 billion as production scales and near-term cash headwinds recede.

Investors are expected to focus on management’s commentary regarding a sustainable delivery cadence, particularly in light of regulatory constraints and lingering supply-chain bottlenecks. The company’s ability to convert its sizeable backlog into cash will remain a central theme as customers demand on-time hand-offs and regulators scrutinize manufacturing quality.

Full-year snapshot

For 2025 as a whole, Boeing swung to net income of $8.22 billion, or $10.23 per diluted share, reversing a $3.86 billion loss posted in 2024. The turnaround was aided by the Jeppesen sale and by rising aircraft output, though adjusted results underscore the distance the firm must travel to restore consistent profitability.

During a scheduled earnings call, executives are set to field questions about certification milestones, defense-program schedules and the pace of incremental production hikes. Stakeholders will also look for detail on supply-chain resilience, labor availability and capital allocation priorities as the manufacturer works to regain its pre-crisis footing.

Crédito da imagem: Boeing