Boeing Company (The) (BA) Stock Price & How to Invest

Last updated October 2026

Short answer

You can invest in Boeing (BA) by buying shares or fractional shares at any major broker, through an ETF that holds it (ITA, PPA, XLI, VOO, plus Dow funds), or as one holding in a thematic basket. Boeing is a turnaround story, not a steady compounder: it is half of the global large-commercial-aircraft duopoly with Airbus (737, 787, 777, 777X) plus a major defense and space arm, but years of the 737 MAX grounding, quality lapses, FAA scrutiny, and heavy debt have produced losses and a suspended dividend. As of October 16, 2026 the stock closed near $189.63, down about 17% year to date and about 26% below its January high, and Boeing reports third-quarter results on October 27, 2026.

BA stock price

As of 2026-10-23, Boeing Company (The) (BA) last closed at $188.35, down 14.9% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $179.12 and $252.15.

BA last close
$188.35
1 day
+0.43%
1 month
-5.79%
1 year
-14.91%
52-week range
$179.12 to $252.15
Last close
2026-10-23

Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or Boeing Company (The)'s investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.

What does Boeing Company (The) (BA) do?

Boeing (BA) is one of the two dominant manufacturers of large commercial aircraft in the world and a major US defense, space, and security contractor. Its commercial airplanes division builds jets like the 737, 787, 777, and the in-development 777X, sold to airlines and lessors globally, generating revenue from aircraft deliveries and aftermarket services. Its defense, space and security division builds military aircraft, satellites, weapons systems, and space hardware for the US government and allies. A third segment, Global Services, provides maintenance, parts, modifications, and support for both commercial and military fleets, offering steadier, higher-margin recurring revenue. Boeing operates in a global duopoly with Airbus in large commercial jets, a market protected by enormous barriers to entry, multi-year order backlogs, and high switching costs. However, the company has faced years of difficulty: the 737 MAX grounding, production quality and safety issues, supply-chain strain, and significant losses and debt. Founded in 1916 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Boeing is a large-cap industrial whose recovery hinges on stabilizing production and rebuilding trust.

The recovery is visible in volume but not yet in profit. Revenue rose from about $66.5 billion in 2024 to about $89.5 billion in 2025, and full-year 2025 net income was about $1.9 billion, the first annual profit after losses in 2022 through 2024, helped by an unusually large fourth-quarter profit of about $8.1 billion. In 2026 the losses returned on a quarterly basis: the second quarter (ended June 30) brought revenue of about $24.6 billion, up 8% year over year, 171 commercial deliveries, and free cash flow of about $631 million, but a core loss of $0.76 per share against a consensus loss of about $0.31, including about $280 million of charges on the VC-25B presidential aircraft program. CEO Kelly Ortberg cautioned that lifting 737 output from 52 to 57 a month would get harder. On the defense side, the Air Force picked Boeing to develop the F-47 fighter and the Navy chose it over Northrop Grumman for its sixth-generation carrier fighter. In October 2026 Boeing reached a new contract with about 17,000 SPEEA engineers and technical workers, averting a strike. The shares closed near $189.63 on October 16, 2026, down about 17% year to date and about 10% over the past year, for a market value near $150 billion; a late-September report of a 737 MAX software issue knocked the stock down nearly 7% in a day before the FAA said it was not a safety concern. Third-quarter results are due October 27, 2026, with consensus at a loss of about $0.20 per share on roughly $24.4 billion of revenue.

What's driving Boeing Company (The) (BA)?

1. Commercial duopoly and backlog.

Boeing and Airbus together dominate large commercial aircraft, a market with enormous barriers to entry and multi-year order backlogs. Boeing holds thousands of aircraft on order, so the long-term demand picture from global air-travel growth and fleet renewal is strong if the company can stabilize and ramp production to convert that backlog into deliveries and cash. The 171 deliveries in the second quarter of 2026 were the highest quarterly total since 2018, and in October Boeing entered talks over an order of up to 50 widebody jets.

2. Aftermarket services.

Global Services provides maintenance, spare parts, upgrades, and support across a huge installed base of Boeing aircraft. This recurring, higher-margin revenue is steadier than aircraft deliveries and grows with the global fleet, providing ballast and cash flow that is less exposed to production-ramp execution risk.

3. Defense, space, and recovery leverage.

Boeing's defense and space division provides diversified government revenue across military aircraft, satellites, and weapons, and 2026 brought two major wins: the F-47 sixth-generation fighter for the Air Force and the Navy's next carrier-based fighter. With production stabilization and cleared inventory, Boeing has substantial operating leverage: free cash flow turned positive at about $5.6 billion over the last twelve months, and analysts expect revenue near $112 billion and EPS of about $3.77 in 2027 as deliveries ramp toward target rates. That recovery is central to the turnaround thesis.

What are the risks to Boeing Company (The) (BA)?

Boeing has endured years of crises: the 737 MAX grounding after two fatal crashes, ongoing production-quality and safety incidents, regulatory scrutiny from the FAA, and supply-chain constraints, all of which have slowed deliveries and produced large losses. It still lost money in each of the first two quarters of 2026, and the second-quarter loss of $0.76 per share was more than twice what analysts expected. The balance sheet carries about $48 billion of debt against roughly $19 billion of cash, accumulated through these troubles. The 777X has faced repeated delays, and several defense programs have run fixed-price losses, including the VC-25B presidential aircraft. Management has warned that raising 737 output from 52 to 57 a month will be harder, and supply-chain problems could cause snags. Rebuilding regulator, airline, and public trust is slow, and any new safety or quality lapse is costly to reputation and finances, as the late-September 737 MAX software report showed. Several analysts, including Morgan Stanley and RBC, cut price targets in October 2026, citing cash-flow visibility and defense budget uncertainty. The stock is volatile and has been under pressure as the turnaround drags on.

What is the Boeing Company (The) (BA) forecast?

27 analysts publish price targets on BA, averaging $268.15 against a $190.21 price as of October 2026, or +41.0%. The published targets run from $206.00 to $305.00, a moderate spread, and the ratings split 25 buy, 4 hold, 0 sell. Over the last six months there have been 4 raises and 5 cuts among the published actions. A price target is what an analyst published on a date, not a prediction, and sell-side ratings skew positive across the whole market.

Read the full BA forecast and price target for the target table, the recent rating actions by firm, and how the consensus has shifted.

Is BA a buy or a sell?

We give no verdict on Boeing Company (The). Both cases are real, which is why the question is contested at all, so here is the strongest version of each.

The case for buying. Commercial duopoly and backlog. Boeing and Airbus together dominate large commercial aircraft, a market with enormous barriers to entry and multi-year order backlogs. The most optimistic published target, $305.00, assumes this works close to its best case.

The case against. Boeing has endured years of crises: the 737 MAX grounding after two fatal crashes, ongoing production-quality and safety incidents, regulatory scrutiny from the FAA, and supply-chain constraints, all of which have slowed deliveries and produced large losses. The most pessimistic target, $206.00, is roughly what BA is worth if this bites instead.

Read the full bull and bear case on BA, including what would have to change to break either one. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Has Boeing Company (The) (BA) split its stock?

No. Boeing Company (The) (BA) has not split its stock in the last 10 years. That is a statement about the window we check rather than about the company’s entire history, so an older split is possible. It also matters less than it once did: fractional shares mean a high price per share no longer keeps smaller investors out, which removed most of the practical reason to split.

How is Boeing Company (The) (BA) valued? (approximate, October 2026)

A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see Boeing Company (The)'s investor relations page or your broker.

  • Revenue (TTM): ~$94 billion; Q2 2026 ~$24.6 billion (up ~8% YoY)
  • Operating margin: Roughly breakeven (TTM); gross margin ~5%
  • Earnings: TTM net income ~$2.1 billion (EPS ~$2.80), but Q1 and Q2 2026 were losses; Q2 core EPS -$0.76 vs ~-$0.31 expected
  • Free cash flow: ~$5.6 billion (TTM); Q2 2026 ~$631 million
  • Debt and cash: ~$48 billion debt vs ~$19 billion cash
  • Commercial deliveries: 171 in Q2 2026, the most in a quarter since 2018
  • Market cap: ~$150 billion at ~$189.63 per share
  • Dividend yield: None (suspended)

Boeing is a turnaround story, so trailing earnings and P/E (about 68x trailing, 50x forward) are distorted by one-off items and recent quarterly losses. Investors value it on the duopoly franchise, the enormous backlog, and the potential for free cash flow to recover as production stabilizes; analysts expect a 2026 loss of about $1.10 per share and EPS near $3.77 in 2027. The consensus rating is buy with an average target near $268, but several firms trimmed targets in October 2026 ahead of the October 27 report, and the valuation reflects a wide range of outcomes and high execution risk.

Which ETFs hold Boeing Company (The) (BA)?

If you want BA exposure as part of a larger bundle rather than directly, these ETFs hold it meaningfully. Weights are approximate and refresh quarterly.

ETFName% in BAExpense ratio
PFFiShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF3.4%0.45%
PPAInvesco Aerospace & Defense ETF8.75%0.58%
ITAiShares US Aerospace & Defense ETF7.49%0.37%
XLIState Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF2.76%0.08%
PFFDGlobal X U.S. Preferred ETF4.13%0.23%
VISVanguard Industrials Index Fund ETF Shares2.2%0.09%

What themes does Boeing Company (The) (BA) fit?

These are the investment theses BA naturally fits into. Each links to a full theme guide listing every other stock that belongs and the ETFs commonly used as a passive proxy.

Who competes with Boeing Company (The) (BA)?

Large commercial aircraft

Airbus is Boeing's primary competitor in a global duopoly for large commercial jets. Airbus has gained share during Boeing's troubles, particularly in the narrowbody segment (A320 family versus 737 MAX). Chinese (COMAC) and other entrants are emerging but far behind in scale and global certification.

Defense and space

Competes with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, and General Dynamics across military aircraft, missiles, satellites, and space systems for US and allied government contracts.

What stocks are similar to Boeing Company (The) (BA)?

Other names that sit close to BA: same theme, named as a direct competitor, or held beside it in the same funds. Each entry says which. Worth a look if you are thinking about diversification within a thesis rather than concentration on one ticker.

How to invest in Boeing Company (The) (BA)

There are three common ways to get BA exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it (PFF, PPA, ITA), which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic portfolio, so BA sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.

Walnut takes the portfolio route. Describe a thesis where BA fits (for example “AI infrastructure” or “dividend-growth large-caps”) and the AI proposes 5 to 6 constituents with target weights. You review the plan and fund it through your own broker when you're ready.

New to this? Start with how to invest in stocks, see how to analyze a stock with AI, or compare the best AI stock analyzers.

The bottom line on Boeing Company (The) (BA)

Boeing (BA) is a protected commercial-aircraft duopoly with a multi-year, thousands-of-jets backlog whose value rests on free cash flow recovering as production stabilizes and deliveries ramp. Deliveries hit 171 jets in the second quarter of 2026, the most in a quarter since 2018, yet the company still posted quarterly losses in 2026 and the shares fell about 17% this year. In a portfolio it behaves as a volatile, high-execution-risk industrial turnaround with no dividend, where any new safety or quality lapse is costly, rather than a defensive holding.

More on Boeing Company (The) (BA)

Whether BA is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, what would have to go right, and the risks in is BA a buy or a sell?, and where the stock could go from here in the BA stock forecast.

For income investors, whether BA pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does BA pay a dividend? And to weigh BA against a peer, read the full side-by-side comparisons: BA vs SPCX and BA vs RKLB.

Wondering how BA fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.

Investing in Boeing Company (The) with AI

Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how BA fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.

FAQ

What is BA's ticker symbol?

+

BA, listed on the NYSE. Officially The Boeing Company. Founded 1916, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Trades during US market hours and is available at every major US brokerage.

What does Boeing do?

+

Boeing is one of the two dominant makers of large commercial aircraft (737, 787, 777, 777X), a major US defense, space, and security contractor (military aircraft, satellites, weapons), and a provider of aftermarket maintenance, parts, and support through its Global Services segment.

Who are Boeing's main competitors?

+

In commercial aircraft: Airbus, its main rival in a global duopoly, with emerging players like COMAC far behind. In defense and space: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, and General Dynamics for military and government contracts.

Why has Boeing's stock struggled?

+

Years of crises: the 737 MAX grounding after two fatal crashes, ongoing production-quality and safety incidents, FAA scrutiny, supply-chain constraints, 777X delays, and fixed-price defense losses. These slowed deliveries, produced large losses, and loaded the balance sheet with debt, weighing on the share price. In 2026 the stock fell about 17% through mid-October as quarterly losses continued, a 737 MAX software report briefly hit the shares, and analysts trimmed targets.

Is Boeing a defense stock?

+

Partly. Boeing has a large defense, space, and security business serving the US government and allies, but the majority of its revenue and its biggest swing factor come from commercial aircraft. It is best described as a commercial aerospace company with a significant defense arm.

Does Boeing pay a dividend?

+

No. Boeing suspended its dividend amid the 737 MAX grounding and subsequent losses and has not reinstated it as of October 2026. Restoring the dividend depends on production stabilization and balance-sheet recovery; the company still carries about $48 billion of debt.

What is Boeing's P/E ratio?

+

Boeing's P/E is distorted. On trailing numbers it is about 68x (EPS of about $2.80, lifted by a large fourth-quarter 2025 profit), and about 50x on 2027 estimates, while the 2026 consensus is a loss. Investors instead value it on the recovery potential of free cash flow as deliveries ramp, the size of its order backlog, and the durability of the commercial-aircraft duopoly rather than trailing earnings.

How big is Boeing's order backlog?

+

Boeing holds a large, multi-year backlog of thousands of commercial aircraft on order, plus defense and services work. The backlog underpins the long-term demand case; the challenge is ramping production to convert those orders into deliveries and cash flow.

Which ETFs hold Boeing?

+

Aerospace and defense ETFs (like ITA and PPA) hold BA at meaningful weights, along with industrials funds (XLI) and broad index funds (VOO, plus Dow-tracking funds since Boeing is a Dow component). Weighting reflects its large-cap size.

Is Boeing in the S&P 500?

+

Yes. Boeing is a constituent of the S&P 500 and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average as of October 2026, classified in the industrials sector.

Which thematic baskets typically include Boeing?

+

Aerospace and defense and industrials baskets on Walnut may include BA. It is typically positioned as a large-cap aerospace turnaround holding, with the thesis centered on production recovery and the commercial duopoly rather than current earnings.

Is BA a good stock to buy?

+

Descriptive, not a recommendation. Boeing offers exposure to a protected commercial-aircraft duopoly with a huge backlog and recovery potential, balanced against years of production, quality, and safety problems, heavy debt, no dividend, and significant turnaround execution risk. Whether it fits a portfolio depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.

How did Boeing do in its latest quarter?

+

In the second quarter of 2026 (ended June 30), revenue rose about 8% to roughly $24.6 billion and Boeing delivered 171 commercial aircraft, its highest quarterly total since 2018, with free cash flow of about $631 million. It still reported a core loss of $0.76 per share, wider than the roughly $0.31 loss analysts expected, including about $280 million of VC-25B charges. Third-quarter results are scheduled for October 27, 2026.

How has BA stock performed in 2026?

+

As of the October 16, 2026 close near $189.63, Boeing shares were down about 17% year to date and about 10% over the past year, roughly 26% below the January 2026 high and near the bottom of a 52-week range of about $177 to $254. Quarterly losses, production-rate caution, and a late-September 737 MAX software report weighed on the stock. Past performance does not predict future returns.

Guides that feature BA

BA is one of the names covered in these guides. Each one puts the stock next to its peers so you can see where it fits rather than judging it alone.

Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with Boeing Company (The)'s investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.