New York, Jan 28, 2026, 19:31 EST — After-hours
- Boeing shares dropped during Wednesday’s session and showed little movement after the closing bell
- Investors are balancing cash flow visibility with concerns over certification and cost risks
- Next up: delivery pace, FAA milestones, and key aviation events coming in early February
Boeing Co shares dropped 1.2% to $241.59 on Wednesday, moving between $237.11 and $245.84 throughout the day. In after-hours trading, the stock showed little change.
The pullback follows a quarter where Boeing turned a profit mainly thanks to a $10.6 billion sale of its digital aviation services arm, Jeppesen. Yet, its two largest operating divisions remained in the red, and a new charge related to the KC-46 tanker weighed on the results. Peter McNally, an analyst at Third Bridge, described the quarter as “a reminder of the complications of managing this business.” 1
Free cash flow — that’s cash from operations minus capital spending — is Boeing’s key metric right now. It funds the production ramp and chips away at debt. CFO Jay Malave told analysts the company expects between $1 billion and $3 billion in free cash flow in 2026, with more coming in the back half of the year. Scott Mikus of Melius Research sees potential upside to that forecast, assuming labor issues don’t flare up. 2
Boeing announced that the 737-10 has secured FAA approval to start the final stage of certification flight testing. The 777X advanced to a later certification phase and is still on track for its first delivery in 2027. The company also noted the 787 production is ramping up toward eight planes per month. Boeing closed 2025 with a record backlog of $682 billion. 3
Traders remain focused on familiar friction points: production and deliveries are picking up, yet any delay in certification schedules or hiccups on the factory floor risk pushing back cash inflows and hiking costs for compensation and rework.
Boeing boosted its 20-year forecast for India and South Asia, now expecting demand for 3,290 commercial jets, up from 2,835. Executive Ashwin Naidu described India as “exactly the opposite” of mature markets, where growth comes mostly from replacing old planes rather than expanding fleets. 4
The broader market showed little support. The S&P 500 finished roughly unchanged following the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates steady, as investors quickly shifted their focus back to earnings reports after the announcement. 5
Risks remain. Delays in certifying the 737-7, 737-10, or 777X could push Boeing past key delivery goals that support its cash flow projections. On top of that, integration challenges with Spirit and supplier issues might drive up expenses. Another unexpected charge from a defense program would only make matters worse.
At the moment, the market sees the quarter as a step forward amid challenging conditions. The stock is tracking the recurring question Boeing faces: can it convert ramped-up production into reliable cash flow without hitting fresh obstacles.
The upcoming Singapore Airshow, kicking off Feb. 3, is a key event where order announcements and delivery schedules frequently surface. Traders will focus on Thursday’s session for any FAA updates on MAX certification and to see if Boeing maintains its delivery momentum at the start of the year. 6
