Boeing cruises past forecasts, sees no sign of cost trouble

Boeing's profit surged past Wall Street estimates in Q1 and booming demand for commercial jets pushed the world’s biggest planemaker to raise forecasts for cash flow and earnings in what promises to be another record year. Speaking after the results, CEO Dennis Muilenburg also played down concerns expressed by fellow US manufacturing export giant Caterpillar about rising materials costs, which could squeeze profit margins. Boeing’s core earnings, which exclude certain pension costs, jumped to $3.64 per share from $2.17 a year earlier, dwarfing a consensus forecast of $2.58 per share. “We’re not seeing anything there (in costs) that’s a material effect right now,” Muilenburg said. Muilenburg said he does not anticipate a full-blown trade war between the United States and China, as both countries seem to working towards finding negotiated solutions.<br/>