New York, Feb 16, 2026, 14:54 EST — Market closed.
- Boeing shares resume trading Tuesday after a U.S. market holiday, coming off a higher Friday close.
- Production rates, deliveries and aircraft certifications remain the big swing factors for the stock.
- Investors are watching cash generation closely as Boeing pushes to stabilize output.
Boeing shares closed up 1.51% on Friday at $242.96, with U.S. stock markets shut on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday and set to reopen on Tuesday. Boeing’s stock move outpaced several aerospace peers on the day as the broader market edged higher, though the shares remain about 4.5% below a 52-week high hit in late January. (MarketWatch)
The quiet session comes at an awkward time for Boeing (BA.N): investors have been leaning hard on the idea that a steadier factory rhythm in 2026 can translate into steadier cash. That is the trade. It has not been a smooth one.
For now, the stock’s day-to-day pull is less about airline demand headlines and more about execution — how fast Boeing can lift output without tripping on parts quality, rework and regulators. Delayed certifications and widebody timing still sit in the background, waiting to matter again.
Earlier this month, Boeing outlined a cautious path for its 737 MAX ramp. The company plans to open a fourth 737 MAX production line in Everett, Washington, in midsummer, and Vice President and 737 program general manager Katie Ringgold told suppliers they should expect about a 15% lift in output over the next 18 months — pushing a target rate of 47 jets a month into 2027 rather than this year. Ringgold said Boeing aims to reach 63 jets a month “over a number of years.” (Reuters)
Boeing’s monthly deliveries report has become a trading input because planemakers collect most of the payment when they hand a jet over to a customer. Boeing said it delivered 46 jets in January, including 38 737 MAX aircraft and five 787 Dreamliners, and logged 103 net new orders — orders after cancellations — topping Airbus’s January delivery and net order totals. (Reuters)
The supplier picture has also been a key tell. Boeing spends 40% fewer hours fixing problems from its supply chain now than it did in 2024, Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president for global supply chain and fabrication, told a supplier conference in Washington state last week. (Reuters)
Cash remains the hard scoreboard. On its latest results, Boeing swung to a quarterly profit boosted by a $10.6 billion sale of Jeppesen, but Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave told analysts he expects $1 billion to $3 billion of positive free cash flow this year, depending on delays tied to the 777X program and the smallest 737 MAX variants. Free cash flow is cash left after capital spending, and Boeing burned $1.9 billion over the prior year as certification delays lingered; Third Bridge analyst Peter McNally said the results were “a reminder of the complications of managing this business.” (Reuters)
But there is a clear downside scenario. If parts quality slips again, or regulators slow approvals, deliveries can slide and cash can tighten fast — and Boeing’s defense side has shown it can still spring costly surprises.
When markets reopen on Tuesday, investors will look for any fresh read-through on whether the production ramp is holding together into March. A bigger calendar marker sits a bit further out: Boeing plans the first flight of a production 777X in April, a milestone for a long-delayed program that the company has said is slated for first delivery next year. (Reuters)
