The embattled company just had its strongest start to a year in more than a decade
Tuesday's order data from Boeing $BA showed 135 net new planes committed in April, lifting the four-month running total to 284 — a figure not reached through April in any year since 2014.
April's order haul almost matched Boeing's entire first-quarter total. The month's bookings included 57 737 MAX jets, 51 787s, and 28 777X jets, with the majority coming from undisclosed customers, according to the company.
Airbus has pulled ahead on orders, tallying 405 net commitments through the end of April — a lead that Boeing $BA's recent momentum has not yet closed.
Forty-seven jetliners left Boeing $BA's facilities in April, a single-unit increase over the March total. That total included 34 737 MAX jets and six 787s. Investors pay close attention to deliveries because that milestone triggers the bulk of a customer's payment obligation on a new jet.
Unresolved regulatory approval for premium interior seating configurations has kept a lid on 787 output, though CFO Jay Malave told analysts on last month's earnings call that the full-year target of 90 to 100 wide-body deliveries remains intact. The 777X program also continues to work through its certification process; a 777-9 outfitted in passenger configuration took to the air for the first time on May 7. Boeing anticipates first delivery of the 777-9 in 2027.
Boeing’s April results show ongoing recovery after years of safety and manufacturing problems. In the first quarter, Boeing reported a net loss of $7 million, an improvement over the $31 million loss a year earlier, as deliveries rose 10% to 143 planes. The company’s order backlog hit a record $695 billion at quarter’s end. CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took over in August 2024, has been working to stabilize the company after several major quality issues, including a door plug incident on a 737 MAX in January 2024.
Airbus has also faced challenges. The company reported a 52% drop in first-quarter adjusted operating profit, as deliveries fell to 114 jets from 136 a year earlier. Engine supply problems from Pratt & Whitney contributed to the decline.
