Boeing

The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is one of the world's largest aerospace companies and a leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners as well as defense, space, and security systems. Its origins date to 1916, when American timber merchant William E. Boeing—after he and U.S. Navy officer Conrad Westervelt developed the single-engine, two-seat B&W seaplane—formed Pacific Aero Products Co. on July 15, 1916, one month after the B&W's first flight. The company is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Boeing is organized into three business units: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and Global Services. Boeing Commercial Airplanes is a global manufacturer of jetliners, with a portfolio that includes the 737, 747, 767, 777, and 787 programs operated by airlines worldwide. Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense and space contractors, working on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, commercial and government satellites, human spaceflight programs, and weapons.

Boeing has recently navigated a challenging period. Its full-year 2024 loss of $11.8 billion compared with a $2.2 billion loss in 2023, while revenue came in at $66.5 billion, down 14% year on year, reflecting a significant decline in new commercial aircraft deliveries. These results—extending a multi-year stretch of losses—partly reflected the impact of an International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) work stoppage and previously announced charges on commercial and defense programs.

Given its scale across commercial aviation, defense, space, and global services, and its current pressure to improve delivery rates and program performance, innovations in this space are highly relevant to Boeing.