Boeing needs a surge to hit year-end delivery goal

Shares in Boeing slipped 2% Tuesday after November deliveries suggested the world’s largest planemaker will need a surge in deliveries in December to hit its year-end targets, though it surpassed some analyst expectations. Boeing said it delivered 61 of its top-selling 737 single-aisle jetliners in November, above its monthly production rate of 52, and higher than the 43 aircraft delivered in October. While Boeing reports deliveries of specific airplane types but does not make comparable projections, Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu said in a client note that Boeing would need to deliver 79 of its 737s in December to hit its total 2018 airplane delivery target of 810 to 815 airplanes. “Our estimate assumes deliveries of the 737 reach 79 in December, which is unlikely,” Kahyaoglu said. Boeing’s delivery data for 737s surpassed the expectations of some analysts. Before Tuesday, UBS analyst Myles Walton said Boeing delivered around 55 737s, while Baird’s Peter Arment said November 737 deliveries were roughly 45 aircraft. Overall, Boeing deliveries for the first 11 months of 2018 rose to 704 aircraft from 680 in the same period a year earlier. That leaves 106 aircraft left to deliver to customers in December to meet its target. Higher deliveries for the 737 and 767 were offset by drops in the 777 and its carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner, company data showed.<br/>