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Boeing BA shares have been in a sweet spot lately. The stock has climbed about 20% so far this year, rebounding strongly from a 32% decline in 2024. Boeing shares have also added 31.6% over the past month, and added 9.6% over the past week (as of May 14, 2025). Its shares have hit a new 52-week high this week.
No wonder, Boeing-heavy exchange-traded fund (ETF) iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF ITA hit a 52-week high lately (read: Aerospace & Defense ETFs at a One-Year High: Here's Why).
Inside a Difficult Past
The plane-maker's shares have struggled a lot in the recent past. The company’s shares saw a bloodbath amid the aftermath of two fatal crashes of its jets in 2018 and 2019 and the collapse of global travel during the pandemic.
Then, in January 2024, a door plug on a Boeing aircraft blew out mid-flight during an Alaska Airlines journey. Then came a public outcry and widespread scrutiny of the company’s safety practices and corporate culture.
The successive crises led to a major leadership shakeup, including the departure of the CEO, along with serious whistleblower allegations, a crippling labor strike, and massive cash outflows — financial challenges that Boeing expects to persist into 2025.
Things Brightening for Boeing in 2025
Boeing shares started soaring lately on major international deals. The company secured its largest-ever aircraft order from Qatar Airways. The deal marks a huge milestone for the aerospace giant and follows a string of recent overseas orders.
On Wednesday, Boeing finalized a landmark $96 billion agreement with Qatar to deliver up to 210 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft. These planes will be equipped with engines from GE Aerospace GE.
Last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick highlighted a $10 billion aircraft deal with IAG, British Airways' parent company, during the announcement of a US-UK trade agreement.
Boeing’s winning streak continued with a new order from AviLease, a global aircraft lessor based in Saudi Arabia. The deal includes up to 30 new aircraft, adding to the company’s expanding international portfolio.
Trump’s International Influence Boosts Boeing
The surge in orders coincides with President Trump’s renewed international outreach. Boeing stock has climbed more than 50% since April, buoyed by Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff policy — a sharp shift for a company that faced deep turmoil just a year ago.
“Trump’s return to the White House has benefited Boeing,” Fundstrat strategists observed, citing his consistent promotion of Boeing during foreign engagements, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.