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Boeing CEO says increasing 737 MAX output is taking longer than expected, shares slide
Boeing said wing production and certification delays are slowing its push to raise 737 MAX output to 52 jets a month next year.
On Wednesday, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told investors that stabilizing 737 MAX production at 47 aircraft per month is taking "longer than expected."
Production stabilization faces challenges after Boeing added its Everett North Line just over two months ago, following a Federal Aviation Administration cap of 38 per month after a 2024 safety incident.
Boeing shares dropped about 2.5% immediately following Ortberg's comments, with the price down 4.5% for the day; the company aims to increase production to 52 jets monthly to address nearly US$26 billion in net debt.
Ortberg reiterated at a Morgan Stanley conference that certification for the 737-10, the largest MAX variant, is coming "very soon," noting the model represents about 30 per cent of all 737 orders.
When Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. next week, Ortberg downplayed expectations that China would announce a large jetliner order.