Morningstar Investment Management LLC Sells 41,650 Shares of The Boeing Company $BA

Key Points

• Morningstar Investment Management sharply reduced its Boeing stake by 83.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 41,650 shares and leaving it with 8,178 shares valued at about $1.78 million.
• Despite that sale, Boeing continues to have heavy institutional ownership, with about 64.82% of shares held by institutions and major firms like Vanguard and Newport Trust increasing their positions.
• Boeing is getting a mix of positive catalysts, including a jury verdict in its favor in a 737 MAX fraud case and recent insider buying, though some concerns remain around weaker-than-hoped China orders and the company’s high leverage.

Morningstar Investment Management LLC cut its stake in shares of The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA - Free Report) by 83.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,178 shares of the aircraft producer's stock after selling 41,650 shares during the quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC's holdings in Boeing were worth $1,776,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Boeing by 5.1% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 70,989,438 shares of the aircraft producer's stock worth $15,413,227,000 after acquiring an additional 3,460,021 shares in the last quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC now owns 29,485,294 shares of the aircraft producer's stock valued at $6,401,847,000 after buying an additional 286,848 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 3.3% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,505,040 shares of the aircraft producer's stock valued at $1,188,153,000 after buying an additional 177,597 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 7.1% in the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 3,369,615 shares of the aircraft producer's stock valued at $727,264,000 after buying an additional 223,995 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 6.2% in the third quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 3,010,551 shares of the aircraft producer's stock valued at $649,767,000 after buying an additional 175,486 shares in the last quarter. 64.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Boeing

In other news, Director Bradley D. Tilden purchased 1,370 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $218.50 per share, with a total value of $299,345.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 1,370 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $299,345. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Mortimer J. Buckley purchased 2,230 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $224.20 per share, for a total transaction of $499,966.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,430 shares of the company's stock, valued at $993,206. This represents a 101.36% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Boeing News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Boeing this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Boeing received a boost from a jury verdict in its favor in a long-running 737 MAX fraud case, reducing a legal risk that had weighed on sentiment. Boeing found not guilty of $153M 737 MAX fraud case
• Positive Sentiment: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air is moving ahead with its launch and will take its first Boeing jets this week, reinforcing backlog and delivery optimism. Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with launch of new airline despite Iran war
• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying added a constructive signal, with a Boeing director purchasing nearly $300,000 of stock. Insider Buying: Boeing NYSE: BA Director Buys $299,345.00 in Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent analyses argue Boeing remains attractively valued relative to peers, and some analysts view the recent weakness as an entry point. BA vs. LMT: Which Aerospace-Defense Giant Offers Better Value Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: New commentary on Boeing’s long-term outlook says the company likely needs a new narrow-body aircraft over the next decade, but the timeline and execution remain uncertain. Where Will Boeing Stock Be in 10 Years?
• Negative Sentiment: Investor disappointment is centered on China, where Boeing reportedly secured only 200 aircraft orders, less than some had hoped for after trade discussions. The Disappointing Boeing Deal: Why China Only Bought 200 Planes

Boeing Stock Up 0.1%

BA opened at $219.18 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.42, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.35. The company's 50-day moving average is $217.63 and its 200 day moving average is $218.86. The Boeing Company has a fifty-two week low of $176.77 and a fifty-two week high of $254.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $172.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 106.40 and a beta of 1.21.

Boeing (NYSE:BA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The aircraft producer reported ($0.20) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.68) by $0.48. The firm had revenue of $22.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.15 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.49) earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 14.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that The Boeing Company will post -0.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on BA shares. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Boeing from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Boeing from $256.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $275.00 price objective on shares of Boeing in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Boeing from $265.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Boeing in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Boeing has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $259.80.

Boeing Profile

Boeing Company NYSE: BA is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense systems, and space and security technologies. Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, the company today operates as an integrated aerospace and defense contractor with a global customer base. Boeing relocated its corporate headquarters to Arlington, Virginia in 2022 and maintains extensive engineering, manufacturing and service operations across the United States and around the world.

Boeing's principal lines of business include Commercial Airplanes, which produces and supports a range of jetliners used by airlines globally; Defense, Space & Security, which develops military aircraft, rotorcraft, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, satellites, and launch and missile systems; and Boeing Global Services, which provides aftermarket maintenance, training, spare parts, digital analytics and logistics support.

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