Boeing Reports Smaller-Than-Expected Q1 Loss as Turnaround Efforts Show Progress
Commercial aircraft deliveries rise 10% to 143 planes; company expects 737 Max 7 and Max 10 certification later this year
Quick Look
- Boeing reported a narrower-than-expected first quarter loss of 20 cents per share versus the 83 cents analysts expected, with revenue of $22.22 billion beating $21.78 billion forecasts.
- The company narrowed its net loss to $7 million from $31 million a year earlier, as commercial aircraft deliveries rose 10% to 143 planes and defense revenue jumped 21%.
- CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took over in August 2024, said the team is on plan for the year.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Boeing has faced years of safety and manufacturing crises following two fatal 737 Max crashes and various quality issues, costing the company billions of dollars. CEO Kelly Ortberg took over in August 2024 to lead the turnaround effort. The company is still working to restore production rates and get regulatory approval for its delayed 737 Max 7 and Max 10 variants.
Boeing reported a smaller than expected loss for the first quarter, with improvements across its businesses, including its key commercial aircraft unit, as the manufacturer tries to stem years of losses. Here's how Boeing performed in the first quarter, compared with analysts' estimates compiled by LSEG: Loss per share: 20 cents adjusted vs. a loss of 83 cents expected Revenue: $22.22 billion vs. $21.78 billion expected Sales rose 14% to $22.22 billion in the first three months of the year. The company narrowed its net loss in the first three months of the year to $7 million, or 11 cents a share, down from a loss of $31 million, or 16 cents a share, a year earlier. Adjusting for one-time items, Boeing posted a loss of 20 cents a share. "Though we've faced some challenges, I'm proud of how our team has pulled together and worked through them to keep us on plan for the year," CEO Kelly Ortberg told employees in a note on Wednesday. "When we work as a team, it's incredible what we can do as a company." Ortberg took the reins in August 2024, tasked with course-correcting for Boeing after years of safety and manufacturing crises that have cost the company billions of dollars. Boeing said it still expects certification of the long-delayed 737 Max 7 and Max 10, the smallest and largest of the best-selling Max family aircraft, later this year, with deliveries starting in 2027. Boeing's commercial aircraft unit handed over 143 airplanes in the first quarter, up 10% from a year earlier. The unit, Boeing's largest, posted revenue $9.2 billion, up 13%, though it still posted a loss from operations. Boeing has been ramping up production of its planes, and its 737 Maxes are rolling out at about 42 a month. Further increases would require Federal Aviation Administration approval, a requirement after a near-catastrophic blowout of a fuselage door plug in January 2024. The company's defense business revenue rose 21% to $7.6 billion, and its services business revenue increased 6% from 2025, to $5.37 billion in the first quarter.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Boeing will receive FAA approval to increase 737 Max production above 42 per month by Q3 2026
Possible · Within months
737 Max 7 and Max 10 will receive certification by end of 2026
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will Boeing achieve its target of increasing 737 Max production beyond 42 per month?
- What specific certification hurdles remain for the 737 Max 7 and Max 10?
- How long will the commercial aircraft unit continue to post operational losses?
