Last year, Boeing delivered its highest annual volume of commercial jets since 2018, handing over 537 aircraft in the first 11 months and an estimated 61 in December. That compares with 528 deliveries in 2023 and 348 in 2024. The increase reflects production stability following years of safety crises, supply-chain constraints and a mid-air door-plug incident in early 2024. Under CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing has restructured its assembly lines, slashed out-of-order “traveled work” and resumed certificate issuance in-house with FAA approval. With a monthly production cap on the 737 Max raised from 38 to 42 in October, Boeing expects to hit the 42-jet threshold in early 2026, and scale 787 Dreamliner output to about eight per month. Improved predictability has driven a 36% share gain over the past 12 months, outpacing the broader market and positioning the company to return to full-year profitability for the first time since 2018.

Boeing’s aerospace footprint includes United Launch Alliance, its 50/50 joint venture with Lockheed Martin. On December 22, ULA announced the unexpected resignation of CEO Tory Bruno, who led the company for nearly 12 years and drove development of the Vulcan Centaur rocket. Four days later, Blue Origin poached Bruno to head its newly formed National Security Group. Investors view the departure as a blow to ULA’s strategic continuity: Bruno presided over plans for reusable launchers and had become the venture’s public face. The leadership vacuum raises concerns about ULA’s ability to meet its Pentagon launch commitments and could accelerate consolidation in the launch sector. Boeing shares may face renewed volatility if ULA performance deteriorates or if Blue Origin follows through on long-standing acquisition ambitions.