On October 28, Morgan Stanley lowered its price target on Boeing from $225 to $195, while maintaining an "Equal Weight" rating.
Analyst Kristine Liwag noted that Boeing updated its free cash flow guidance in its third-quarter earnings report, pushing back the timeline for achieving $10 billion in annual free cash flow to 2029 — one year later than previously expected by the market.
This adjustment reflects the ongoing difficulties Boeing faces in ramping up aircraft production and resolving supply chain issues, which have caused cash flow recovery to lag expectations.
Boeing's third-quarter results also fell short of market expectations, with an adjusted loss per share of $0.34, wider than the expected $0.24. Revenue rose 4% year-over-year to $24.19 billion, below the anticipated $24.39 billion.
However, the company generated positive free cash flow of $464 million in the quarter, and commercial aircraft deliveries reached 161 units — the highest level since 2018.
Despite the improvement in deliveries, Morgan Stanley still believes that persistent challenges in production recovery will slow Boeing's cash flow growth, leading to the price target reduction.
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