Boeing Company (The) stock (NYSE: BA) finished Monday’s session modestly higher, then eased slightly in after-hours trading—setting up a catalyst-heavy Tuesday that could be driven as much by macro headlines as by aviation-specific developments.
BA closed at $205.50, up $1.12 (+0.55%), and was last indicated around $205.01 (-0.24%) in after-hours trading early Monday evening. [1]
Below is what moved the conversation around Boeing today—and what investors and traders should have on their radar before the opening bell tomorrow.
Boeing stock price action after the bell: steady close, small after-hours dip
Boeing shares outperformed a slightly softer broader market on Monday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.16% and the Dow fell 0.09%, while Boeing shares finished up 0.55%. [2]
Key end-of-day numbers (Monday, Dec. 15):
- Close: $205.50 (+0.55%) [3]
- After-hours (early evening): ~$205.01 (-0.24%) [4]
- Day range: roughly $203.17 to $206.63 [5]
- Volume: about 6.7 million shares
The takeaway: today didn’t look like a “re-rate” day for Boeing. It looked like a positioning day—with traders staying engaged but not chasing the stock aggressively ahead of major scheduled data tomorrow morning.
Today’s Boeing-specific headline that matters: FAA publishes a 737 MAX safety implementation plan
One of the most consequential Boeing developments dated Monday, Dec. 15 wasn’t a splashy earnings release or an order announcement—it was regulatory.
A Federal Register notice dated Dec. 15, 2025 outlines the Federal Aviation Administration’s implementation plan tied to statutory requirements that restrict the issuance of airworthiness certificates for, and the operation of, Boeing 737 MAX aircraft unless certain safety enhancements are incorporated. [6]
What the FAA notice says (in plain English)
The notice describes a timeline linked to type certification approval of the Boeing 737-10 (MAX 10):
- One year after the FAA approves the type certificate for the 737-10, the FAA would be prohibited from issuing an original airworthiness certificate for a 737 MAX aircraft unless the aircraft’s type design includes required safety enhancements. [7]
- Three years after the FAA type certifies the 737-10, operation of any Boeing 737 MAX aircraft would be prohibited unless the type design includes those enhancements and the individual aircraft is produced/altered to conform. [8]
The notice also describes an FAA “implementation plan” with four high-level actions, including:
- evaluating/certifying the required enhancements as part of the 737-10 type design,
- evaluating/certifying design changes to incorporate them on other 737 MAX models,
- monitoring Boeing to ensure it provides service information to operators in time, and
- monitoring operators to ensure retrofit deadlines are met. [9]
Why investors should care
This is relevant for BA stock because it reinforces a core reality of the Boeing turnaround story:
- Certification and compliance are not background noise—they’re the timeline.
- Any regulatory process that becomes more defined can reduce uncertainty, but it can also formalize deadlines that may require engineering work, airline coordination, and potential costs.
Investors will likely interpret this notice through a single question: Does it clarify the path to MAX 10 certification (and future MAX deliveries), or does it introduce more complexity and retrofit risk? Right now, it does a bit of both—by setting out the framework and the obligations.
The MAX 10 (and MAX 7) certification backdrop: FAA alerting-system review remains central
While today’s Federal Register notice is new on the calendar, it sits on top of an active certification storyline that has been in focus for Boeing and airline customers.
In a recent update, the FAA said it will review Boeing’s proposed enhanced cockpit alerting system for the 737 MAX 10, including features described as a synthetic enhanced angle-of-attack system and a way to shut off stall warning and overspeed alerts. [10]
That matters because Boeing’s certification delays for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 have been tied in part to an engine de-icing issue, and the certification path for these variants is tightly watched by major customers. [11]
One of the most important “real economy” signals for Boeing demand is what airlines say they can plan around. For example, Southwest Airlines’ CEO has said the airline expects MAX 7 certification around August 2026, with entry into service planned for Q1 2027. [12]
What to watch next: any indication—positive or negative—about whether the MAX 10 cockpit alerting review is progressing smoothly. For BA stock, certification isn’t just a technical milestone; it feeds directly into delivery volume, cash flow, and investor confidence in timelines.
Defense program spotlight: Air Force One delivery is pushed to mid-2028
Another headline still hanging over Boeing is the repeated delay in the VC-25B program (the next Air Force One aircraft).
Reuters reported that the delivery of the first of two new Air Force One jets has been delayed again—now expected around mid-2028, roughly four years behind the original plan. Reuters also noted Boeing has absorbed $2.4 billion in charges tied to the program’s problems. [13]
A defense-focused report also pointed to a $15.5 million contract modification for communications equipment integration on the VC-25B program, bringing the cumulative value to just over $4.3 billion, with the first aircraft still projected for mid-2028. [14]
Why this matters for BA stock tomorrow morning
Air Force One is not the core earnings engine of Boeing, but it’s a high-visibility execution test. Each delay tends to revive questions about:
- project management and cost controls,
- government program risk,
- and whether problems are isolated or systemic.
It’s also part of a broader investor conversation: Boeing’s recovery depends on improving execution across commercial manufacturing and ensuring defense programs do not become a recurring financial drag.
The broader regulatory environment tightened today: FAA “Flight Plan 2026” and ongoing oversight
Boeing also sits inside a broader U.S. aviation safety and oversight environment that continues to evolve.
Reuters reported the FAA is set to tell Congress it is taking actions after a fatal collision exposed safety gaps, with reforms described under a “Flight Plan 2026” initiative. Importantly for Boeing, Reuters notes the FAA’s oversight of aerospace manufacturers like Boeing will continue, and the agency is also moving toward a more digitized aircraft certification process. [15]
For BA stock, this backdrop matters because:
- Boeing’s commercial recovery depends on stable, predictable certification pathways.
- More robust oversight can slow timelines in the short run—but can also support the longer-term goal of restoring trust.
Competitive pressure check: Airbus delivery pace is also under scrutiny
Boeing doesn’t trade in a vacuum. Airbus remains the closest peer comparator in commercial aviation, and today’s news cycle included fresh scrutiny of Airbus deliveries.
Reuters reported Airbus delivered about 30 jets in the first half of December and faces a steep end-of-year climb to meet its revised delivery goal (around 790), after previously citing a quality issue affecting A320-family fuselage panels. [16]
Why Boeing investors may care: when Airbus faces supply constraints, it can change the competitive conversation around who can deliver aircraft on time, which can influence airline planning and—by extension—investor sentiment toward Boeing’s own delivery ramp.
Forecasts and Wall Street expectations: what the numbers imply for Boeing’s next phase
Even on a quieter trading day, Boeing remains a “forecast stock”—trading heavily on expectations about production, deliveries, certification, and cash flow.
Analyst price targets (consensus snapshot)
A consensus view tracked by MarketBeat shows Boeing analysts’ targets ranging widely, with an average price target around the low-to-mid $200s (and a high target in the mid-$200s). [17]
Investors should treat these as directional rather than predictive. For Boeing, targets often move when the market gains or loses confidence in:
- delivery cadence,
- quality improvements,
- certification schedules,
- and free-cash-flow trajectory.
Earnings trajectory implied by forecasts
Nasdaq’s “Yearly Earnings Forecast” snapshot shows the Street expecting Boeing’s earnings power to improve meaningfully over the next few years (with a negative EPS forecast for 2025 and positive forecasts thereafter). [18]
This “loss-to-profit” transition is why BA can react sharply to production and certification headlines: the stock’s longer-term thesis depends on operational normalization translating into financial normalization.
What to know before the market opens tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025)
1) A major macro catalyst hits at 8:30 a.m. ET: the (delayed) November jobs report
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that “The Employment Situation for November” is scheduled for release on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET. [19]
This matters more than usual because the U.S. government shutdown has disrupted data collection. Reuters reported that delayed employment and CPI reports are due this week, but with notable gaps—creating uncertainty around how markets interpret the prints. [20]
Why BA stock could react: Boeing is a large industrial/cyclical name that can be sensitive to shifts in rates, growth expectations, and risk sentiment—especially on big data mornings.
2) Watch premarket reaction, not just the last after-hours print
BA’s after-hours move was small (down about a quarter of a percent in early evening trading). [21]
But tomorrow’s real “tone-setter” is likely to be premarket positioning after the 8:30 a.m. data, particularly if rates move quickly.
3) Boeing-specific catalysts to keep on your “headline alert” list
Before the open (and into Tuesday’s session), the Boeing headlines most likely to matter are:
- 737 MAX certification and compliance: any incremental detail on MAX 10 cockpit alerting review and the implications of the FAA’s published implementation plan. [22]
- Defense program narrative: any additional reporting on VC-25B schedule, costs, or contract actions after the mid-2028 delay confirmation. [23]
- Regulatory posture: updates connected to the FAA’s broader safety reform push and how that affects manufacturer oversight and certification workflow. [24]
The bottom line for Boeing stock heading into Tuesday
Boeing stock ends Dec. 15 in a constructive position—up on the day, only slightly softer after hours—but the real setup is about tomorrow’s catalysts.
- The FAA’s newly published 737 MAX safety implementation plan reinforces that the MAX 10 certification timeline and fleetwide compliance requirements remain central to Boeing’s multi-year recovery narrative. [25]
- The Air Force One delay remains a reputational and cost overhang, even if it’s not the primary driver of Boeing’s valuation. [26]
- And the market’s immediate focus Tuesday morning is likely to be the 8:30 a.m. ET Employment Situation release, made more volatile by shutdown-related data disruptions. [27]
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.marketwatch.com, 4. www.marketwatch.com, 5. www.investing.com, 6. www.govinfo.gov, 7. www.govinfo.gov, 8. www.govinfo.gov, 9. www.govinfo.gov, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. breakingdefense.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.marketbeat.com, 18. www.nasdaq.com, 19. www.bls.gov, 20. www.reuters.com, 21. www.marketwatch.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.govinfo.gov, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. www.bls.gov
