Boeing (NYSE: BA) is in focus this morning after Seattle-headquartered Alaska Airlines announced a purchase order for more than a hundred “737 Max 10” aircraft.
On top of this purchase order, its largest ever, Alaska is buying five “787-10” Dreamliners as well, in a show of immense confidence in BA’s manufacturing and safety standards.
At the time of writing, Boeing stock is up a staggering 70% versus its 52-week low.
Significance of Alaska Airlines order for Boeing Stock
Alaska Airlines’ record order is particularly significant for BA stock because it lands just two years after a high-profile safety lapse involving the 737 Max 9.
In early 2024, a door plug panel on an Alaska Airlines flight bound for Ontario, CA, blew out mid-air due to missing bolts – rattling confidence in Boeing’s quality control and weighing heavily on the investor sentiment.
By committing to more than a hundred 737 Max 10s and additional 787-10s, the airline is signaling renewed trust in Boeing’s reliability and long-term execution under the new management.
For shareholders, the deal doesn’t only represent billions in future revenue, but a reputational boost as well – reinforcing that air carriers remain willing to bet on Boeing despite past setbacks.
In short, it offers another major reason for long-term investors to stick with Boeing shares in 2026.
Are BA shares poised to push higher in 2026?
Boeing’s backorder now stands at more than 6,000 aircraft, even though its 737 Max 10 hasn’t even received FAA certification yet.
According to Shane Jones, senior vice president of fleet and real estate at Alaska Airlines, however, the airplane maker will hit that milestone within the next few months – and analysts expect more orders to follow once that happens.
As Dan Niles put it in a recent interview: “They’ve got $600 billion in backlog that keeps growing – almost seven times this year’s revenue.”
And if that fundamental strength isn’t enough to warrant an investment, BA shares’ technicals also point to continued momentum ahead.
The NYSE-listed giant is trading decisively above its key moving averages (MAs) at the time of writing, with the long-term relative strength index (100-day) at about 55 – reinforcing that the bullish trend isn’t near exhaustion just yet.
How Wall Street Recommends Playing Boeing
Wall Street analysts seem to agree with Niles’ optimism on Boeing stock, especially since it stands to meaningfully benefit from the Trump administration’s “Golden Dome” initiative as well.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the consensus rating on BA shares remains at “overweight” with the mean target of about $251, indicating potential upside of nearly 10% from here.
The company based out of Arlington County, VA, doesn’t currently pay a dividend, but its free cash flow is improving fast – and it’s reasonable to assume that it will soon reinstate shareholder returns as well.
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