New York, Feb 17, 2026, 14:33 ET — Regular session
Boeing shares (BA) rose 0.7% to $244.60 in afternoon trading on Tuesday after the planemaker said Kazakhstan’s Air Astana had finalized an order for up to 15 787 Dreamliner jets. The stock had been down as much as 1.6% earlier in the session. (MediaRoom)
The 787 is a widebody, or twin-aisle, jet used on long routes. The Air Astana order adds another name to Boeing’s backlog at a time when investors are looking for cleaner signals that orders are turning into steady deliveries.
Boeing delivered 46 jets in January and logged 103 net new orders, beating Airbus on both measures, Reuters reported last week. Deliveries matter because planemakers collect the bulk of their payment when they hand over aircraft. (Reuters)
Airbus, Boeing’s main commercial rival, delivered 19 jets and booked 49 gross orders in January, the European company’s data showed. The two manufacturers still dominate the large-jet market, and airlines have kept both busy with long-dated deals. (Airbus)
Air Astana said in November the package covered five firm positions, five options and five purchase rights, with the newly ordered 787-9s due between 2032 and 2035. Chief executive Peter Foster said the arrival of the first 787-9 next year would mark an “exciting phase of development” for the carrier. (Air Astana)
Boeing is also pitching upgrades to the 787-9 and 787-10 that lift maximum takeoff weight, letting airlines fly about 400 miles farther or carry extra cargo, a senior executive told Reuters this month. “Those aircraft are actually already in the production system,” said Darren Hulst, Boeing’s vice president of commercial marketing, adding he expected deliveries of the improved jets to begin in the first half of 2026. (Reuters)
The planemaker is leaning on that delivery ramp to improve cash. Chief financial officer Jay Malave told analysts in January he expected $1 billion to $3 billion of positive free cash flow this year, depending on certification and other delays; free cash flow is cash generated after capital spending. Third Bridge analyst Peter McNally wrote then that Boeing looked to be on its “firmest footing” since the company’s troubles began in 2018. (Reuters)
In an investor presentation, Boeing said 737 MAX production was at 42 jets per month and the 787 was transitioning to eight a month, with a backlog of more than 6,100 airplanes. The company pegged total backlog at $567 billion. (Q4 Capital)
But order headlines don’t always shift the near-term picture. Options can be reshaped, and any fresh manufacturing disruption or regulator intervention could still squeeze delivery targets and push cash timing out again.
Investors will watch for the Air Astana deal to show up in Boeing’s monthly orders-and-deliveries tally and for updates on the 777X program. Boeing plans the first flight of a production 777X in April, Reuters reported, a key step for a jet that has run years behind schedule. (Reuters)
