Boeing Co.’s 737 Max aircraft at the company’s manufacturing facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.
David Ryder Bloomberg | Getty Images
boeing The company is expected to report during its earnings call on Tuesday that it cut losses in the fourth quarter and could reach an annual profit this year for the first time since 2018 as the long-struggling aircraft maker continues to improve production.
But Boeing still has a long way to go before delivering late-stage aircraft, some of which have yet to receive regulatory approval, to customers around the world.
According to analyst estimates compiled by LSEG, Wall Street expects Boeing’s fourth-quarter results to be as follows:
Loss per share: 39 cents Expected earnings: $22.6 billion expected
Boeing delivered 600 planes to customers last year, nearly double the number in 2024 and the most since 2018. CEO Kelly Ortberg, who will return from retirement to run the manufacturing company in 2024, said further production increases are planned in the coming months.
Delivery times are important to aircraft manufacturers because customers pay most of the price when they receive the aircraft.
For Boeing, this is a pivotal increase after the company burnt through about $40 billion since the first quarter of 2019. That’s because the second of two fatal crashes involving its best-selling 737 Max jet has put it in crisis for years. The coronavirus pandemic, remaining supply chain and labor shortages, and a host of production issues continue to hamper the company, which is the largest U.S. exporter by value.
Boeing delivered 63 jetliners to customers last month, 44 of which were 737 MAXs, the company announced earlier this month.
Airbus delivered more planes than Boeing last year, with 793, but the total was lower than the record 863 delivered by the European manufacturer in 2019.
However, Boeing surpassed Airbus in 2025 with net orders of 1,173 planes, more than its European rival’s annual net orders of 889 planes. Airlines are starting to look to the 2030s, anticipating growth and securing delivery slots as they replace aging, fuel-guzzling aircraft. number of boeing companies alaska airlines and delta airlines In recent weeks, we have been working as a customer to prepare for the next 10 years of deliveries.
But Boeing isn’t out of the woods yet. Investors will want to hear from the company’s leadership about what is the most realistic pace of deliveries this year. The company still needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to further increase the maximum beyond 42 per month, a requirement the regulator established after a panel caused a near-catastrophic mid-air explosion in January 2024.
Investors are likely to want a more certain timeline for the long-delayed certification of the 737 Max 7 and Max 10, as well as the twin-engine 777X, the largest widebody in the lineup. They also want an update on Boeing’s defense projects, which have been delayed, including the two 747s that will serve as the next Air Force One aircraft.
This is developing news. Check back for additional updates.
