New York, Feb 16, 2026, 14:54 EST — The market is closed.
- Boeing shares are back in play Tuesday following the U.S. market holiday, after ending Friday’s session on a higher note.
- Production rates, deliveries, and aircraft certifications still drive the biggest moves in the stock.
- Boeing’s focus on stabilizing output has investors zeroing in on cash generation.
Boeing finished Friday up 1.51% at $242.96, ahead of a long holiday weekend that will keep U.S. markets closed for Presidents Day on Monday. Trading resumes Tuesday. The gain put Boeing ahead of much of the aerospace pack as stocks generally ticked up, but the shares are still sitting roughly 4.5% under the 52-week peak they reached in late January.
Boeing (BA.N) faces a lull in trading, just as investors are betting heavily that a more predictable production pace by 2026 will shore up cash flow. That’s the thesis—though so far, it’s been anything but straightforward.
At the moment, Boeing’s shares aren’t really moving on airline booking chatter—they’re responding to how well the company manages to ramp up production without running into trouble with parts, rework, or federal oversight. Certifications dragging out and the widebody schedule? Those issues are still lurking, just not front and center today.
Boeing sketched out a measured increase for its 737 MAX production this month, signaling plans to open a fourth line in Everett, Washington, sometime in midsummer. Katie Ringgold, who oversees the 737 program, told suppliers they’re looking at roughly a 15% bump in output over the next 18 months. That would push reaching 47 jets per month out to 2027, not this year. She added that getting to 63 jets per month is still the goal, but it’ll take “a number of years.” Reuters
Boeing’s monthly delivery tally has turned into a key trading signal, with most of a jet’s price landing in the company’s pocket when the aircraft changes hands. For January, Boeing said it handed over 46 jets—38 of them 737 MAXs, five 787 Dreamliners—and picked up 103 net new orders, after accounting for any cancellations. That put it ahead of Airbus for both deliveries and net new orders for the month.
The supplier landscape is telling its own story. Boeing has slashed the hours spent correcting supply chain issues by 40% compared to 2024, according to Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president for global supply chain and fabrication. Mounir shared the update at a supplier event in Washington state last week.
Cash keeps telling the real story. Boeing just reported a quarterly profit, thanks largely to a $10.6 billion sale of Jeppesen. But CFO Jay Malave warned analysts that free cash flow for this year could land anywhere from $1 billion to $3 billion, hinging on how things go with the 777X and the smallest 737 MAX jets. Free cash flow, basically what’s left after capital spending, has been negative: Boeing burned through $1.9 billion last year while certification problems dragged on. “A reminder of the complications of managing this business,” Third Bridge’s Peter McNally said of the results. Reuters
Still, there’s a real risk here. Should parts quality falter once more, or if regulators drag their feet on sign-offs, Boeing could see deliveries drop and cash reserves dwindle quickly. On top of that, the defense unit isn’t done with expensive shocks.
Tuesday’s trading could bring clues on whether the production ramp is still on track as March approaches. Looking ahead, Boeing is aiming to get its production 777X in the air for the first time in April—a critical step for a program that’s seen repeated delays. The jet’s first delivery remains scheduled for next year, the company says.
