While aerospace stock Boeing (BA) tackles concerns about strikes at its military aircraft production operations in St. Louis, it also manages to land a bit of a win out at Paine Field in Washington. The latest 777-9 aircraft has taken its first flight, demonstrating that the new line should be coming out before too much longer. That was welcome enough to investors, who sent shares up fractionally in Wednesday afternoon’s trading.
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The 777-9 that took the first flight in question was actually the fifth one Boeing has made so far. The 777X family has seen plenty of delays over the years, but with Federal Aviation Administration certification now expected in 2026, this long-sought aircraft should be making its way to airfields everywhere.
The four other test planes have received a healthy workout so far, with reports noting the four have completed a combined total of around 1,400 flights, representing more than 4,000 hours in the air. Boeing has already performed a range of tests on the ground, and looked to recreate them in the air when the new 777-9 went aloft. Lori Gunter, Boeing spokesperson, noted, “The whole point of a first flight is to not be surprised. It’s really just exercising the airplane.”
Concerns Over the F-47
Then there is the matter of the St. Louis strike, which is hitting Boeing in its military chops. Concerns are rising around the F-47, which would have been produced in the St. Louis plants. But the impact of the strike on the F-47 may ultimately be minimal, as Boeing was set to wait another two years for the F-47’s engines to be completed to begin with. So unless the St. Louis strike goes on two years, the odds of it having much impact on the F-47 seem minimal.
However, it is not just the F-47 that is at stake here. The workers in question assemble the T-7 trainer, an unmanned aerial refueling platform known as the MQ-25, and the F-15 and F/A-18 Hornet, reports note. This could be a real blow to Boeing, especially if this lasts any length of time. Perhaps the best thing to do here might be to jump ahead to the end and offer the St. Louis team similar terms to the Washington team from last year. Those terms worked well to settle that strike, after all.
Is Boeing a Good Stock to Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on BA stock based on 19 Buys and three Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 37.75% rally in its share price over the past year, the average BA price target of $256 per share implies 13.61% upside potential.
