Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) ended the holiday-shortened Christmas Eve trading session higher and was little changed in early after-hours trading, with investors weighing a strong “Santa rally” mood across Wall Street against a steady stream of defense and execution headlines tied to the aerospace giant.
One important calendar note upfront: U.S. stock markets are closed on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025), so there is no regular market open “tomorrow.” The next regular U.S. equity session is Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. [1]
Below is what happened after the bell today (Dec. 24, 2025) and what investors typically want on their radar before the next session begins.
Boeing stock price today: close, after-hours, and key levels
Because of the holiday schedule, the NYSE closed early at 1:00 p.m. ET on Christmas Eve. [2]
Boeing shares closed at $218.31, up $1.46 (+0.67%), and then eased slightly in early after-hours trading to about $218.16. [3]
Other key snapshot metrics from today’s session:
- Day range: roughly $216.27 to $219.25
- Volume: about 2.94 million shares, notably light versus Boeing’s ~8.69 million average volume—typical for a shortened holiday session [4]
- 52-week range: about $128.88 to $242.69 (today’s close sits ~10% below the 52-week high, and ~69% above the 52-week low) [5]
This combination—a modest gain, narrow-ish range, and reduced volume—is consistent with late-December trading conditions, when even large-cap names can see price moves amplified by thinner liquidity.
Why Boeing stock moved: the broader market tailwind mattered today
Boeing didn’t trade in a vacuum on Christmas Eve. U.S. stocks broadly pushed higher in the shortened session, with the Dow and S&P 500 closing at record highs as the seasonal “Santa rally” narrative gained traction and trading volumes stayed light. [6]
For Boeing specifically, that matters because:
- BA is a high-profile industrial and Dow component, often pulled along by risk-on sentiment.
- In thin holiday trading, macro mood can overwhelm single-stock catalysts unless the news is truly explosive.
Today’s Boeing headline: Pentagon says Boeing won a $2 billion B‑52 engine-replacement order
The most concrete Boeing-specific news tied to today’s tape came from the defense side.
Reuters reported that the Pentagon said Boeing has been awarded a $2 billion order related to the B‑52 commercial engine replacement program. [7]
Why this matters for Boeing shareholders going into the next session:
- Defense work can stabilize the story when commercial aerospace headlines are noisy.
Boeing’s defense segment has often been viewed as a ballast—less cyclical than commercial aircraft deliveries. - Contract headlines can support sentiment even when revenue timing is long-dated.
Large orders don’t necessarily translate to immediate quarterly revenue jumps, but they can reinforce confidence in backlog visibility and long-run cash generation. - It keeps the spotlight on execution.
Defense programs reward consistency. Investors tend to ask: Does this contract improve margin outlook, reduce risk, or create follow-on opportunities? The market often “scores” Boeing not just on winning business, but on delivering against it.
Another defense datapoint today: F‑15EX deliveries and production pace are in focus
Separately, Aviation Week reported that the U.S. Air Force praised Boeing for resuming F‑15EX deliveries quickly after the end of a 15-week strike, while also noting that budget data indicates the program has lowered output expectations over time. [8]
Even if this doesn’t move BA minute-to-minute, it’s relevant “next session” reading because it underscores a theme investors track closely:
- Boeing’s ability to return to steady production rhythms after disruptions (labor, supplier, quality, regulatory) is central to the bull case.
- Defense programs may carry different risk profiles than commercial jets, but markets still watch for schedule stability and throughput.
What analysts forecast right now: price targets diverge, but “buy” sentiment dominates
A notable piece of “today” market commentary came from MarketBeat, which said Boeing has an average analyst recommendation of “Moderate Buy” based on 26 analysts, with an average 12-month price target around $233.17 (with a mix of buy/hold/sell ratings). [9]
Meanwhile, a TipRanks article published today presented a more optimistic framing, citing a “Strong Buy” consensus (based on a smaller recent-rating sample) and an average price target around $249.92, implying mid-teens upside from recent levels. [10]
How to read these mixed targets (without overreacting)
- Different platforms track different analyst sets and time windows, which is why you’ll see target gaps.
- Targets can lag price moves in both directions; for Boeing, execution updates and regulatory milestones can change sentiment quickly.
- For many investors, the bigger question isn’t whether the target is $233 or $250—it’s what assumptions sit underneath those numbers (deliveries, margins, free cash flow, and certification progress).
The most important “tomorrow” detail: there is no U.S. market open on Dec. 25
Because your question is framed around “before the market opens tomorrow,” it’s worth being explicit:
- NYSE & Nasdaq are closed Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 (Christmas Day). [11]
- The NYSE confirms an early close at 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, and lists Christmas Day as a market holiday. [12]
- Trading resumes with the next normal session on Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. [13]
So the more practical framing is: what to know before the next session (Dec. 26)—especially since Friday trading in late December can be unusually thin.
What to watch before the next session: Boeing-specific checklist
Here’s the most relevant checklist for Boeing stock into Friday’s reopen:
1) Any follow-up details on the B‑52 contract
The Reuters item is short, but defense awards often spark follow-on reporting. Watch for:
- More specificity on scope and timing
- Any competitor or subcontractor commentary
- Program milestone updates that could change margin expectations [14]
2) Additional defense program updates (F‑15EX and beyond)
With Aviation Week highlighting the tension between “delivery resumption” and “output expectations,” investors may look for:
- Delivery cadence updates
- Any new budget signals
- Commentary around strike catch-up and production flow [15]
3) Liquidity risk: thin trading can exaggerate moves
With today’s volume far below average, it’s a reminder that price action into year-end can be jumpy—even without major news. [16]
4) Where BA sits in its 52-week range
Boeing remains well off its 52-week low and below its 52-week high. That positioning matters because:
- Breakouts toward the high can attract momentum interest
- Rejections can trigger profit-taking in year-end positioning [17]
5) Confirmed corporate catalysts: Boeing’s IR calendar currently shows no “upcoming events”
If you’re scanning for a clearly posted “next catalyst,” note that Boeing’s Investors – Events & Presentations page showed no upcoming events listed at the time it was checked. [18]
That doesn’t mean nothing is coming—just that the company’s IR calendar isn’t currently a reliable countdown clock for the next headline.
Bigger-picture context heading into late December
Even for a Boeing-focused story, it’s hard to ignore what the market is paying attention to as 2025 closes:
- Reuters’ Christmas Eve market wrap described a risk-on backdrop (including renewed enthusiasm in AI-linked stocks) and pointed to light volumes and rate-cut expectations as part of the tone. [19]
- For many industrial names, including Boeing, the path of interest rates and growth expectations can influence sentiment around multi-year cash flow recovery narratives.
Bottom line for Boeing stock after the bell on Dec. 24, 2025
Boeing stock finished the Christmas Eve session modestly higher and was essentially flat in early after-hours trading—an unsurprising pattern given the holiday-shortened session and thin liquidity. [20]
The standout Boeing headline investors will likely carry into the next open is the Pentagon’s $2 billion B‑52 engine-replacement order, reinforced by ongoing attention to defense production and delivery execution (including F‑15EX). [21]
Finally, if you’re planning your “tomorrow morning” prep: there is no regular U.S. market open on Dec. 25. The next real check-in is Friday, Dec. 26, when holiday-thinned trading can sometimes produce outsized moves relative to the news flow. [22]
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. www.nyse.com, 3. finance.yahoo.com, 4. finance.yahoo.com, 5. finance.yahoo.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. aviationweek.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. www.tipranks.com, 11. www.nyse.com, 12. www.nyse.com, 13. www.barrons.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. aviationweek.com, 16. finance.yahoo.com, 17. finance.yahoo.com, 18. investors.boeing.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. finance.yahoo.com, 21. www.reuters.com, 22. www.nyse.com
