GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) heads into the Friday, December 26, 2025 U.S. session with shares hovering near record territory after a holiday-shortened week. U.S. exchanges were closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and had an early close at 1:00 p.m. ET on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). [1]
As of the latest available trading data, GE Aerospace last traded at about $316.75 (with the most recent trade timestamped on Dec. 24).
Below is what investors typically want on their radar before the bell—especially with GE’s ex-dividend date next week, a big earnings date in January, and fresh headlines spanning commercial engines, defense propulsion, and next-gen technology.
GE Aerospace pre-market checklist for Dec. 26, 2025
Here are the biggest “know before you trade” items going into the open:
- Holiday timing matters: The market reopens Dec. 26 after the Dec. 25 closure, following an early close on Dec. 24. [2]
- Dividend catalyst approaching: GE Aerospace declared a $0.36 per share quarterly dividend with an ex-dividend date of Dec. 29, 2025 and a pay date of Jan. 26, 2026. [3]
- Next major company event: GE Aerospace lists its 4Q 2025 earnings webcast for Jan. 22, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. ET. [4]
- Fresh bullish sell-side coverage: Citi initiated coverage with a Buy and a $386 price target (per The Fly/TipRanks report). [5]
- Big-picture demand backdrop: GE continues to ride a market where airlines are stretching older fleets and leaning into higher-margin maintenance—conditions GE itself has highlighted repeatedly in 2025 results and updates. [6]
What’s driving GE Aerospace headlines right now
1) A dividend date that could impact near-term trading flows
On Dec. 4, 2025, GE Aerospace announced a $0.36/share dividend. The key dates are now close enough to matter for short-term positioning:
- Ex-dividend date:Dec. 29, 2025
- Payable:Jan. 26, 2026
- Record date:Dec. 29, 2025 [7]
Why it matters into year-end: dividend-related buying and selling can sometimes influence trading patterns—especially when paired with thin holiday liquidity and portfolios “window dressing” late in the year.
2) Citi initiates coverage: “Buy” and a $386 target
GE Aerospace has already had a powerful 2025 run, but fresh coverage can still move a large-cap industrial—particularly if it shifts the tone around valuation, durability of aftermarket demand, and long-cycle engine programs.
Citi initiated GE Aerospace with a Buy rating and a $386 price target, citing broad “megatrends” across aerospace and defense. [8]
3) GE’s December drumbeat of operational and defense wins
In December, GE Aerospace issued multiple updates that—while not all immediately “EPS accretive”—reinforce a core investment narrative: capacity expansion + long-cycle programs + recurring services.
Notable items:
- U.S. Navy propulsion orders (LM2500): GE Aerospace said it secured orders for LM2500 marine gas turbines supporting next-generation Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyers, noting the breadth of its installed base in that program. [9]
- Commercial/defense engine milestone (CT7-2E1): GE Aerospace reported its CT7-2E1 engine surpassed 500,000 in-service flight hours, a reliability signal that supports long-life service revenues. [10]
- Brazil test cell throughput: GE highlighted a milestone of 1,000 engines tested on its Três Rios test cell (operating since 2018). [11]
These are the types of updates that tend to support the “installed base flywheel” story—where each new engine delivered can become decades of parts and service revenue.
The “real” fundamentals investors keep coming back to: earnings, LEAP output, and aftermarket momentum
GE’s 3Q 2025 results: strong growth + raised full-year outlook
GE Aerospace’s latest reported quarter (3Q 2025) is still the anchor for most investor conversations because it combined strong reported growth with higher guidance.
GE’s Q3 materials show (non-GAAP) adjusted revenue of $11.3B, operating profit of $2.3B, free cash flow of $2.4B, and adjusted EPS of $1.66. [12]
Reuters also reported that GE Aerospace raised 2025 guidance again, pointing to robust demand and higher deliveries—especially on LEAP engines—and strong servicing momentum (including notable growth in spare parts and services). [13]
Why aftermarket is so central to the bull case
In 2025, airlines have been stuck in a world of delivery delays and constrained engine availability. That has pressured fleets to keep aircraft longer—often the best possible scenario for a high-margin engine services business.
Reuters highlighted that GE’s aftermarket business is its most profitable, and that delivery delays at major airframers have pushed airlines to rely more on maintenance-heavy older jets. [14]
The order pipeline: Dubai Airshow wins, widebody engines, and long-term services
One reason GE Aerospace continues to command a premium narrative is that it’s not just selling engines—it’s attaching multi-year services and building an installed base that can monetize for decades.
Recent examples:
- Emirates + GE9X (777-9): GE Aerospace and Emirates announced an agreement for 130 GE9X engines to power 65 additional Boeing 777-9 aircraft, bringing Emirates’ GE9X engines on order to more than 540 (including spares and long-term services). [15]
- Saudia Group + GEnx-1B (787): GE Aerospace disclosed a strategic agreement to equip Saudia’s order of 39 Boeing 787-9/787-10 aircraft with GEnx-1B engines, including spares and a multi-year MRO program. [16]
- flydubai + GEnx-1B (787-9): GE Aerospace said flydubai signed for 60 GEnx-1B engines for its first Boeing 787-9 widebody fleet, plus spares and long-term services support. [17]
Investor takeaway: widebody programs can be lumpy (and Boeing’s 777X schedule risk is real), but the prize is long-duration service revenue once engines enter steady global operation.
Capacity and supply chain: GE keeps spending to meet demand
If you only follow GE’s stock price, you can miss what management has been signaling operationally: capacity expansion is a strategic priority, especially for narrowbody engines and parts.
Key investments and initiatives highlighted in 2025:
- Nearly $1B U.S. manufacturing/supply chain investment (2025 plan): Reuters reported GE Aerospace planned to invest nearly $1 billion in U.S. operations and suppliers in 2025, including $500 million toward increasing engine manufacturing capacity and more than $100 million to support external suppliers and reduce defects. [18]
- West Jefferson expansion: GE Aerospace announced a nearly $53M investment to expand a North Carolina facility to boost production capacity for in-demand narrowbody aircraft engine parts. [19]
- Wales MRO upgrade: GE Aerospace said it would invest £19 million over three years to refurbish and modernize its Wales site for commercial engine MRO. [20]
- Pune manufacturing expansion: GE Aerospace announced a $14M investment to expand and automate capabilities at its Pune facility. [21]
- Dubai support hub expansion: GE Aerospace announced a $50M+ investment for a Dubai South on-wing support facility aimed at supporting CFM LEAP fleet growth and GE9X entry into service in the region. [22]
What investors watch here: whether this spending translates into improved deliveries, better on-time performance, and fewer bottlenecks—without sacrificing margins.
Industry cross-currents that can move GE stock in 2026 (starting now)
GE Aerospace is exposed to the pace of aircraft deliveries and utilization. Several industry developments late in 2025 matter heading into year-end and the new year.
Boeing: signs of improving production pace (a tailwind for LEAP-1B demand)
Reuters reported the FAA approved Boeing to increase 737 MAX production to 42 planes per month in October 2025. [23]
That’s meaningful for GE because the CFM LEAP-1B powers the 737 MAX.
Airbus: delivery pressure tied to an A320-family quality issue (a watch item for LEAP-1A timing)
Airbus cut its 2025 delivery target to around 790 aircraft, and regulators ordered inspections tied to a fuselage panel flaw affecting in-service and in-production jets. [24]
If Airbus production or deliveries wobble, it can influence the timing of engine installations and the near-term rhythm of LEAP-related deliveries.
Engine availability: a backdrop that favors services—and can reshape airline choices
A major theme in the sector remains engine shop capacity and availability. For example, FlightGlobal reported that stored aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney geared turbofans increased to 835 by end-October, reflecting ongoing operational strain. [25]
For GE Aerospace, this environment can be a double-edged sword:
- It can boost aftermarket demand (more shop visits, more parts, more time-on-wing optimization).
- It can also stress the supply chain if everyone needs spares and repairs at once.
Wall Street forecasts: price targets are bullish overall, but not unanimous
Analyst target sets vary meaningfully depending on the dataset and the timing of updates:
- Citi: Buy with a $386 target. [26]
- TipRanks consensus view (snapshot): shows an average target around the low-to-mid $340s, with a high forecast at $386 and a low forecast around the mid $200s (varies by analyst). [27]
- MarketBeat snapshot (example): listed an average price target around $309.94 (with ratings skewing positive), which would be more conservative versus where the stock traded into late December. [28]
How to interpret this before the open: when a mega-cap industrial trades near highs, incremental upside often depends on (1) sustained guidance raises, (2) evidence of easing constraints, and (3) confidence that services growth offsets any OEM delivery turbulence.
Key risks to keep in mind before the bell
Even with bullish momentum, GE Aerospace has a few high-importance risks that can matter disproportionately at elevated valuations:
- Supply chain and materials constraints
GE and its peers have acknowledged that constraints can limit how fast deliveries can ramp even with demand in hand. [29] - Airframer delivery disruptions (Airbus/Boeing timing risk)
Airbus’ quality issue and delivery target reset underline how quickly supplier problems can change the narrative for the whole ecosystem. [30] - Widebody program timing (especially 777X/GE9X)
GE9X is a long-cycle opportunity; delays can push out certain revenue inflections even if the installed base opportunity is enormous. (The Emirates deal expands the long-term runway, but timing remains a market focus.) [31] - Earnings event risk into January
With 4Q 2025 earnings scheduled for Jan. 22, 2026, any shift in guidance, deliveries, or free-cash-flow commentary can reset expectations quickly. [32]
What to watch during the Dec. 26 session
With the market reopening after Christmas, many traders look for direction from liquidity, institutional positioning, and any overnight news flow. For GE Aerospace specifically, the highest-signal items are:
- Any new sell-side notes following Citi’s initiation (and whether other banks chase with upgrades). [33]
- Dividend positioning ahead of the Dec. 29 ex-dividend date. [34]
- Airframer delivery headlines (Airbus quality remediation pace; Boeing monthly production confidence). [35]
- Any incremental supply-chain commentary from GE, Safran/CFM, or key suppliers. [36]
Bottom line
Going into the Dec. 26, 2025 open, GE Aerospace stock is being supported by a combination of (1) raised 2025 guidance momentum, (2) recurring aftermarket strength, (3) high-visibility orders and service agreements (especially out of Dubai Airshow activity), and (4) an approaching dividend ex-date. [37]
The debate for investors is less about whether GE is executing—recent results suggest it is—and more about how much of that execution is already priced in, given shares trading near highs and the market’s sensitivity to any sign that aircraft delivery turbulence or supply constraints could re-emerge in 2026. [38]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. www.nyse.com, 3. www.geaerospace.com, 4. www.geaerospace.com, 5. www.tipranks.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.geaerospace.com, 8. www.tipranks.com, 9. www.geaerospace.com, 10. www.geaerospace.com, 11. www.geaerospace.com, 12. www.geaerospace.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.geaerospace.com, 16. www.geaerospace.com, 17. www.geaerospace.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.geaerospace.com, 20. www.geaerospace.com, 21. www.geaerospace.com, 22. www.geaerospace.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.flightglobal.com, 26. www.tipranks.com, 27. www.tipranks.com, 28. www.marketbeat.com, 29. www.reuters.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. www.geaerospace.com, 32. www.geaerospace.com, 33. www.tipranks.com, 34. www.geaerospace.com, 35. www.reuters.com, 36. www.reuters.com, 37. www.reuters.com, 38. www.reuters.com
