'A Transformative Step for Gulf Air' Means Another Big Sale for Boeing (NYSE:BA)

Business Insider

5 days ago

While aerospace stock Boeing (BA) has faced more than its share of troubles in production of late, the same cannot be said for its sales arm. Not even slightly; sales have been brisker than a November morning in New Jersey, and a brand new sale recently emerged to drive the point home. Boeing sold several billion dollars' worth of 787 Dreamliners to Gulf Air, but shareholders were oddly less than pleased. In fact, shares were down modestly in Friday afternoon's trading.
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Boeing sold 12 of the 787s to Gulf Air, as it looks to make a wider push into global operations. The new sale increased Gulf Air's order with Boeing to 14, according to a joint statement from Boeing and Gulf Air. Gulf Air Group chairman Khalid Taqi, meanwhile, noted that the move was '…a transformative step in Gulf Air's strategic growth journey as we expand our global footprint and modernize our fleet with one of the industry's most advanced and efficient aircraft.'
Gulf Air turned to the 787 Dreamliner for its capabilities in long-haul operations, as well as its overall passenger appeal and its '…contribution to our sustainability goals,' Taqi noted. Regardless of the motivation, it's another sale worth billions into Boeing's coffers, as long as it can actually fill the order at some point.
Four Little Words
Meanwhile, reports emerged that had four words to say about the Boeing X-32, a prototype stealth fighter. While the words would not ordinarily be good ones, in this case, they will be. Those words? 'Head to the museum.' The X-32 originally lost out to the X-35, which later became the F-35. One of the biggest causes of Boeing's loss in this case was that the X-32 had issues with its vertical/short takeoff-and-landing (V/STOL) design, reports noted.
In a move that will prove welcome for aviation history buffs, the two X-32s produced—which are still apparently airworthy—have been preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. That institution is found at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Interestingly, the museum also houses another early stealth technology demonstrator craft, the YF-118G Bird of Prey.
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 17 Buys, two Holds and one Sell assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 28.57% rally in its share price over the past year, the average BA price target of $240 per share implies 4.83% upside potential.