Boeing stock falls about 9% after Q3 results and slower 737 Max ramp

What happened. On 27 October Boeing published its third-quarter results. Net loss was $116 million, or $0.26 a share, against $5.34 billion, or $7.14 a share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 4% to $24.2 billion. On an adjusted measure that Boeing calls core, the loss was $0.34 a share. CNBC says analysts polled by LSEG expected a loss of $0.21 a share and revenue of $23.84 billion.

Why the stock fell. CNBC reports that Boeing does not expect to significantly ramp up 737 Max output until the second half of 2027. CEO Kelly Ortberg said the target is 52 planes a month by then. Boeing has been building about 47 a month. The reason is that wings are being made more slowly than expected. CNBC says the stock was down about 9% during the call. The Globe and Mail, running a Motley Fool piece, put the drop at 9.6% as of 12:05 p.m. ET. These are figures from inside the trading day, not a closing price. CNBC ties the drop to this timing.

Why timing matters. CNBC notes that the bulk of a plane's price is paid when the customer receives it. So output and deliveries bring in cash. Boeing delivered 161 commercial airplanes in the quarter, one more than a year earlier. Free cash flow was $464 million, up from $238 million.

What went well. Defense, Space & Security revenue rose 15% to $7.9 billion. Its margin got a lift from a $252 million gain on the sale of HRL Laboratories, so part of the result is not from regular work. Total backlog hit a record $745 billion, including over 6,300 commercial airplanes. The FAA certified the 737-7 and 737-10, and the US Navy picked Boeing for the F/A-XX fighter. That order is not in backlog yet.

What did not. Commercial Airplanes revenue fell 3% to $10.7 billion, and the unit posted an operating margin of negative 6.5%. Boeing points to a less favorable delivery mix, higher projected costs tied to future production rate adjustments and higher supply chain costs.

Keep in mind. A record backlog is orders, not cash in the bank. The stock reaction depends on production timing, not only on the quarter's numbers. This is not advice to buy or sell.

Confirmed facts

• Boeing's third-quarter net loss was $116 million ($0.26 a share), against $5.339 billion ($7.14 a share) a year earlier.^[1][2]
• Revenue rose 4% to $24.2 billion.^[1][2]
• Core loss per share was $0.34.^[1][2]
• The LSEG consensus quoted by CNBC was a loss of $0.21 a share and revenue of $23.84 billion.^[2]
• Free cash flow was $464 million, against $238 million a year earlier.^[1][2]
• Defense revenue rose 15% to $7.9 billion; its margin included a $252 million gain on the sale of HRL Laboratories.^[1][2]
• Commercial Airplanes revenue fell 3% to $10.7 billion; operating margin was negative 6.5%.^[1][2]
• Boeing delivered 161 commercial airplanes, against 160 a year earlier.^[1][2]
• Boeing does not expect to significantly ramp up 737 Max output until the second half of 2027; the target then is 52 planes a month, from about 47 now.^[2]
• The reason is a slower than expected pace of wing production.^[2]
• The stock fell about 9% during the earnings call; by 12:05 p.m. ET the drop was 9.6%.^[2][3]
• Total backlog grew to a record $745 billion, including over 6,300 commercial airplanes.^[1][3]
• The FAA certified the 737-7 during the quarter and the 737-10 in October; the US Navy selected Boeing for the F/A-XX fighter, and that order is not yet in backlog.^[1]

Implications

• ConfirmedThe pace of output and deliveries directly affects Boeing's cash, because the bulk of a plane's price is paid on delivery.
• ConfirmedDefense and services are carrying the results, while commercial planes still post an operating loss.
• Our readingA later 737 Max ramp-up will slow the growth of cash flow.

Still unknown

• What the closing price on 27 October was: we saw only intraday figures.
• How much money the schedule slip will cost: the release gives no estimate.
• When the F/A-XX order will enter backlog: source selection and evaluation must finish first.

Who it affects

United States, Worldwide. People who follow Boeing, airlines and aerospace stocks

Sources

1. Boeing: Boeing Reports Third Quarter Results October 27, 2026 · official
2. CNBC: Boeing stock sinks 9% as company says it won't significantly ramp up 737 Max production until late 2027 October 27, 2026 · media
3. The Globe and Mail (Motley Fool): Why Did Boeing Stock Crash After Earnings? October 27, 2026 · media