Revenue surges over 50% as Boeing returns to profit in the fourth quarter.

(Washington, Jan 28)
Boeing posted a sharp turnaround in the fourth quarter, swinging to a profit of more than $8.1 billion after reporting a net loss of over $3.9 billion a year earlier. On a seasonally adjusted basis, earnings per share (EPS) came in at $9.92—far above analysts’ expectations for a loss of $0.39 per share.

Revenue surged 57% year-on-year to more than $23.9 billion, also beating market forecasts.

A key driver was Boeing’s sale of its Digital Aviation Solutions business, which generated $9.6 billion in proceeds and boosted EPS by $11.83 during the quarter.

Deliveries, segments, and outlook

Boeing delivered 160 commercial aircraft in the quarter, lifting commercial airplanes revenue to $11.4 billion. Defense, Space & Security posted revenue of $7.4 billion, while Global Services recorded $5.2 billion.

Net new orders totaled 336 aircraft, and total backlog value rose to a record $682 billion, including more than 6,100 commercial airplanes.

For the year ahead, Boeing expects to deliver roughly 500 units of the 737 model and about 90 to 100 units of the 787. Following the strong results, Boeing shares rose as much as 2.4% intraday on Tuesday (Jan 27).