New York, Feb 12, 2026, 15:08 (EST) — Regular session
- GE Aerospace shares were up about 0.3% in afternoon trade after a Reuters report on next‑generation engine work at CFM
- CFM is jointly owned by GE Aerospace and Safran and makes engines for Boeing and Airbus jets
- Investors are watching Safran’s results on Feb. 13 for signs on LEAP production and service demand
GE Aerospace shares were up 0.3% at $314.60 in afternoon trading on Thursday as investors weighed a Reuters report that CFM International, the GE Aerospace-Safran engine venture, is giving fresh attention to a backup design for its next fuel-saving engine concept. The stock has swung widely, trading between $312.47 and $324.77. CFM’s preferred “open-fan” design uses exposed blades instead of a casing and targets 20% cuts in fuel use and emissions, but industry sources said it is also studying a more conventional “advanced ducted” alternative. (Reuters)
The shift matters because engine architecture decisions can lock in decades of revenue. Winning a place on the next generation of Airbus and Boeing jets can translate into years of parts sales and maintenance work once those planes start flying.
It also lands at a moment when airlines are trying to buy certainty, not just new aircraft. Ryanair and CFM unveiled a 15-year agreement on Tuesday that would see the carrier buy parts directly and secure supplies for two planned engine maintenance shops, with parts worth more than $1 billion a year, Reuters reported. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary cracked that the deal would sting: “Beware the French bearing gifts; this is going to cost me,” he said. (Reuters)
The aftermarket is the part of the engine business that starts after the sale — spare parts, repairs and long-term service contracts. It is where the profit tends to sit, and it is also where airlines complain loudest when parts are scarce or shop capacity tight.
In the Reuters report on CFM’s longer-term research, O’Leary made the opposite case for caution, arguing for maximum efficiency: “I would take the fuel savings all day long. My biggest cost is fuel,” he told Reuters. Leasing giant AerCap has urged engine makers to avoid chasing fuel burn at the expense of durability, a tension that sits under the industry’s debate about open-fan engines. (Investing)
Aircraft makers don’t line up neatly on the technology question. Airbus has broadly backed open-fan concepts, while Boeing has been more cautious, with rivals Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce also pushing other approaches.
Signs of stress — and opportunity — keep showing up in the repair ecosystem. Pem-Air, a Florida-based engine shop, has added maintenance capability for CFM’s LEAP engines under a support license agreement with CFM, Aviation Week reported on Wednesday. (Aviation Week)
GE Aerospace itself has pointed investors to service strength. In January, the company forecast 2026 adjusted profit per share of $7.10 to $7.40 on demand for high-margin parts and services as airlines prioritise maintenance because aircraft remain hard to get, Reuters reported. CEO Larry Culp said at the time the company entered 2026 with “solid momentum.” (Reuters)
But the long-range engine debate is a slow burn. Open-fan designs promise step-change efficiency, yet they come with trade-offs — noise, durability and certification risk — and any slip in timelines can push payoffs further out, even if the near-term service market stays hot.
Airbus is due to report full-year results on Feb. 19, and investors will watch for any fresh read-through on the next big aircraft cycle and how quickly planemakers want new propulsion options. (Airbus)
The next immediate marker is Safran’s FY 2025 results on Feb. 13, where investors will look for comments on LEAP engine output, spare-part demand and whether repair bottlenecks are easing. (Safran Group)
