-Boeing (BA) 4Q 2025 Earnings Forecast
- Boeing reported revenue ahead of Wall Street expectations for the fourth quarter as the company's turnaround picked up steam following years of crises.
- The company's airplane deliveries last year were the highest since 2018, helping drive revenue.
- CEO Kelly Ortberg told staff that the company is making progress and that there's "a lot to be optimistic about" in 2026.
Boeing reported revenue ahead of Wall Street expectations for the fourth quarter as the company’s turnaround picked up steam following years of crises.
The company’s airplane deliveries last year were the highest since 2018, helping drive revenue. Boeing brought in $23.9 billion in the last three months of 2025,a 57% increase over the same period in 2024 and topping analysts’ expectations. Cash flow of $400 million was roughly double what Wall Street was expecting.
CEO Kelly Ortberg told staff that the company is making progress and that there’s “a lot to be optimistic about” in 2026.
“Simultaneously occurring, with progress comes expectations, and our customers and stakeholders are going to expect more from us this year,” he said.
Ortberg told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau on Tuesday that the company is expecting positive free cash between $1 billion and $3 billion for 2026.
“That’ll continue to grow as we ramp up production and deal with some of these headwinds that we have to cash flow in the near term,” he said. “We’re marching to this $10 billion free cash flow number and it’s going to take us a little bit of time but we’ve got a methodical plan to get there.”
Here’s how Boeing performed in the fourth quarter, compared with analysts’ estimates compiled by LSEG:
Okay, I will analyze the provided text, perform adversarial research, and generate a response adhering to the strict guidelines.PHASE 1: ADVERSARIAL RESEARCH, FRESHNESS & BREAKING-NEWS CHECK
The article discusses Boeing’s earnings report and future outlook, focusing on production rates, certification delays, and order backlogs. Here’s a breakdown of verification and updates as of January 28, 2026, 09:59:03 PST:
* Boeing’s Financial Results: The reported fourth-quarter net income of $8.22 billion, or $10.23 a share, compared to a loss of $3.86 billion, or $5.46 a share, a year earlier, is accurate as reported in Boeing’s January 31, 2024 earnings release.
* FAA Approval & Max Production: The FAA’s restriction of Max production to 42 per month following the January 2024 incident is confirmed. As of January 2026, the FAA has not lifted this restriction entirely. The FAA continues to monitor Boeing’s quality control processes and has implemented increased scrutiny.Production has been allowed to slowly increase, but remains below pre-incident levels.
* 737 Max 7 & Max 10 Certification: Certification of the 737 max 7 and Max 10 remains delayed. Recent reports (January 26, 2026, Reuters) indicate the FAA is prioritizing safety and has not provided a firm timeline for certification. Concerns remain regarding safety assessments.
* 777X Certification & Delivery: The 777X has received FAA certification in early 2024, but initial deliveries have been delayed due to engine issues with GE Aerospace. Aviation Week (January 15, 2026) reports first deliveries are now expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
* Air Force One 747s: Delays continue with the VC-25B (air Force One) program. The Department of Defense (January 20, 2026) confirmed further delays, citing supply chain issues and ongoing modifications.
* Delta Air Lines orders: Delta Air Lines has indeed placed important orders for Boeing aircraft, extending into the next decade.Delta’s press release (January 29,2024) details the order.Breaking News Check: As of January 28, 2026, the primary breaking news surrounding Boeing continues to be the ongoing FAA scrutiny, production limitations, and certification delays.There have been no major, unexpected events in the last 24 hours.
PHASE 2: ENTITY-BASED GEO (GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)
Boeing’s Financial Performance and Future Challenges
boeing (https://www.boeing.com/) reported strong fourth-quarter earnings for 2023,with net income reaching $8.22 billion, a significant improvement from the loss reported in the previous year.This positive financial result comes amidst ongoing challenges related to production quality, regulatory oversight, and aircraft certification.
Federal Aviation Management (FAA) Oversight
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to play a critical role in Boeing’s operations. Following the January 2024 mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX 9, the FAA imposed restrictions on production rates, limiting them to 42 aircraft per month. As of January 2026, these restrictions remain in place, although the FAA has allowed for incremental increases contingent on demonstrated quality control improvements.