GE Aerospace reported fourth-quarter earnings of $1.57 per share, outperforming the consensus estimate of $1.44 and up from $1.32 a year earlier. Revenue climbed 18% year over year, driven by robust demand for engine services and aftermarket support. Total fourth-quarter revenue reached approximately $11.7 billion, compared with $9.9 billion in the prior-year period, marking the strongest quarterly top-line growth in three years.

Despite exceeding both earnings and revenue forecasts, GE’s shares fell over 6% on the day following the release. The drop reversed earlier January gains, leaving the stock slightly negative for the month. Options activity surged, with roughly 17,000 calls and 12,000 puts traded—nearly six times the average volume. The most active contract was the near-term put at the 315-strike, signaling some hedging interest into the company’s next update.

Buoyed by accelerating orders and sustained aftermarket pricing power, GE Aerospace lifted its full-year 2026 revenue growth forecast to a mid-teens percentage range, up from a prior target of low-double digits. Management highlighted an order intake surge of 25% year over year in the quarter, including new engine placements with major carriers in North America, Europe and Asia.

CEO Larry Culp publicly addressed airline industry pushback over rising maintenance costs, affirming that aftermarket pricing reflects genuine service and parts demand. He noted that global flight hours are nearing pre-pandemic levels and that airlines’ prioritization of reliability has driven long-term service agreements. Culp reiterated confidence that disciplined pricing underpins GE’s sustained margin expansion in its aerospace division.