737 and 787 Deliveries Boost Boeing Shares: CFO Outlines 2026 Outlook

Boeing is set to ramp up production and deliver more Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 jets in 2026, its Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave announced at a UBS investor conference, triggering a steep rise in the company’s share price on market optimism, reported CNBC.

The U.S.-based planemaker confirmed the anticipated uptick comes as it stabilizes deliveries, works toward certification of the delayed 737-10 model, and aims to restore healthy free cash flow. The news comes almost a month or so after US and China struck a deal for 500 Boeing aircraft, sending a wave of optimism for the US’ greatest planemaker.

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Boeing’s Delivery and Cash Flow Outlook

Boeing, which expects the 737 MAX10 to be certified by the end of next year, said it projects the increased deliveries to stem from current production rather than stockpiled inventory. According to Benzinga, the company projects free cash flow in “low single-digits” next year.

Boeing’s CFO said the company will increase deliveries of both its 737 and 787 jets during 2026 compared with 2025.

In September this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowed Boeing to issue airworthiness certificates for some Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 737 MAX airplanes after years of retaining it, following these cases:

• second fatal Boeing 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia in 2019 (the family of Sikha Garg, an environmentalist that on this fatal flight, recently received compensation for this case)
• Boeing 787 airplanes following production quality issues
• According to Reuters, FAA had also “imposed a production cap of 38 737 MAX planes per month in early 2024 after a mid-air cabin blowout incident involving a new Alaska Airlines MAX airplane missing four bolts“.

Though Boeing was allowed to issue airworthiness certificates for the planes mentioned above, it wasn’t a guarantee that it was going to increase production numbers. The FAA had said that it was allowing the step only “because we are confident it can be done safely“:

“This decision follows a thorough review of Boeing’s ongoing production quality and will allow our inspectors to focus additional surveillance in the production process. The FAA will continue to maintain direct and rigorous oversight of Boeing’s production processes.”

Following this, Boeing shares rose nearly 5%.

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Boeing’s Recent delivery momentum

Boeing delivered 53 jets in October 2025, bringing its year-to-date tally to 493 — its strongest pace since 2018. The company also received 15 new orders in October. Here’s a breakdown of the order, as reported by The Economic Times: 

• Narrowbody deliveries:

  • 39 Boeing 737 MAX jets, including:

    • 9 to Southwest Airlines

    • 5 to Ryanair

  • 1 Boeing 737 NG delivered for conversion into a P-8 maritime patrol plane for the US Navy.

• Widebody deliveries (13 jets):

  • 7 787 Dreamliners

  • 2 777 freighters

  • 4 767s

Here are some more factful figures reported by the publication:

“That is the second-most 787 orders the company has received in a year, behind the 369 orders it received in 2007. The company is expanding its production facilities in South Carolina, where it assembles the 787. Last week, two Central Asian airlines announced plans to order more 787s. Through the first 10 months of this year, Boeing has booked 782 new orders after adjusting for cancellations and conversions. The company’s order backlog is now 5,911.”

Market reaction to Boeing’s CFO saying that company expects higher 737, 787 deliveries next year

Markets responded positively to Boeing’s updated guidance. Shares surged nearly 10% following Malave’s remarks, reflecting restored investor faith in the company’s turnaround trajectory.

Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave’s words spoken at a UBS conference on Tuesday were quoted in CNBC as “When you now fast forward to 2026, we’re going to be increasing our deliveries”:

“The bolstered deliveries will be “a big driver” of cash flow as well, Malave said, with positive free cash flow expected to be in the billions in the “low single digits.” Boeing hasn’t turned an annual profit since 2018. Malave also said the company expects that cash margins will get a “pretty significant boost” through 2030 due to the higher productivity.”

In October this year, the aerospace giant recorded third quarter revenue of $23.3 billion. let’s look at the company’s segment results pertaining to commercial planes:

Commercial Airplanes — Boeing (Dollars in Millions)

Source: PRNewswire

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All in All

Boeing expects to deliver as many as 450 Boeing 737s this year. Despite the hopeful outlook, Boeing faces notable headwinds. The anticipated certification of the 737-10 remains a linchpin — any further delays could derail delivery plans and erode confidence.

Additionally, Boeing expects a cash outflow of about $2 billion in 2025 before the turn to positive cash flow in 2026. The company also faces significant debt obligations (totaling nearly $8billion) next year and must integrate Spirit AeroSystems efficiently to avoid supply-chain disruptions.

According to Bloomberg, Boeing’s investors are nervous about the fact that it faces a $4.9 billion charge for the latest delay to its 777X jetliner in October:

“Analysts expect Boeing to generate $2.46 billion in free cash flow next year, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. They’ve pared their free cash flow predictions by more than half since mid-July on the slower-than-expected certification of the 777X, pushing its largest in-production jet more than seven years behind schedule. Malave said the delay would bring about $2 billion of “pressure” to next year’s cash generation.”

Boeing’s CFO’s optimistic words about its prospects next year and a subsequent 10% hike in shares is something that calms investors feelings. For now.