

Boeing's CFO, Brian West, announced that the company expects negative free cash flow in 2024 due to ongoing production challenges. These issues have slowed down aircraft deliveries, which are not anticipated to improve in the second quarter. The situation worsened after a door plug incident in January involving a 737 Max 9, leading to increased federal scrutiny and a further decline in Boeing's stock by about 6%.

Boeing's share prices were down about 6% after CFO Brian West's comments at the Wolfe Research industry conference. His forecast of negative free cash flow and slow recovery in aircraft deliveries contributed to the decline in the company's share prices.

The recent door plug incident on a Boeing 737 Max 9 has heightened federal scrutiny in several ways4. Firstly, the incident drew fresh attention to the Boeing 737 Max planes, which have a troubled history, including two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 and previous issues with software glitches1. This has led to renewed concerns over the aircraft's safety and reliability. Additionally, the incident exposed broader quality-control issues at Boeing, including problems related to the manufacturing process, the storage of parts, and rushed production deadlines1. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that Boeing failed a significant number of product audits, which further underscores the manufacturing challenges and lapses in quality control1. As a result, federal authorities, including the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), have launched investigations and required inspections on numerous Boeing planes to ensure their safety and compliance with aviation standards1. These steps reflect a rigorous governmental response aiming to address and mitigate the risks associated with such manufacturing defects and to prevent future incidents1.