Boeing to Acquire Spirit AeroSystems: What to Know
Boeing will buy Spirit for $4.7 billion in stock as it looks to improve the safety and quality of its airplanes. Here's what you need to know.
Boeing (BA) announced early Monday that it will buy Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) in an all-stock deal that values the fuselage maker at approximately $4.7 billion, or $37.25 per SPR share.
The purchase price represents a roughly 13.3% premium to Spirit stock's June 28 close at $32.87, sending its share price up by more than 3% Monday. BA stock, meanwhile, is higher by roughly 2%.
"We believe this deal is in the best interest of the flying public, our airline customers, the employees of Spirit and Boeing, our shareholders and the country more broadly," Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said in a statement. "By reintegrating Spirit, we can fully align our commercial production systems, including our Safety and Quality Management Systems, and our workforce to the same priorities, incentives and outcomes – centered on safety and quality.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Under the agreement, Spirit shareholders will a certain amount of Boeing shares for each SPR share they currently own. The amount will range between 0.18 and 0.25 BA share for each Spirit share and will be calculated based on Boeing's volume-weighted average price (VWAP) over a specified time frame following the closing. If you are a Spirit shareholder, you can check with your broker for details.
In addition, Boeing said that its primary competitor Airbus has entered into an agreement with Spirit to acquire assets in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Malaysia to handle certain commercial work packages that Spirit currently performs for Airbus.
The transaction is subject to approval by Spirit shareholders, regulatory clearance and other closing conditions, Boeing said. If all goes as planned, the transaction is expected to close in mid-2025.
The deal comes about six months after a January 5 incident in which a Boeing Max 9 had a door detach while in flight, as Kiplinger previously reported.
Is Boeing stock a buy, sell or hold?
Even though Boeing is one of the worst Dow Jones stocks this year, Wall Street is bullish on the aerospace company. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the average analyst target price for BA stock is $218.08, representing implied upside of nearly 20% to current levels. Additionally, the consensus recommendation is Buy.
Financial services firm UBS is one of the more bullish outfits on the blue chip stock with a Buy rating and $240 price target.
The combination of the two aerospace firms "is a necessary step for a range of stakeholders to gain confidence in MAX quality and safety improvement," said UBS Global Research analyst Gavin Parsons in a recent. "Multiple industry participants we have spoken to believe this combination would improve quality control for Boeing, particularly on the 737 program for which SPR is one of the key suppliers. A combined entity should provide BA with better oversight of SPR processes and help reduce traveled work."
UBS' $240 price target represents implied upside of roughly 30% to current levels.
Related Content
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
-
How This Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund Outperforms Its Peers
The Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund took a cautious positioning at the start of the year, which has helped it beat the majority of its peers.
By Nellie S. Huang Published
-
New Rules are Shaking Up the Real Estate Market. Here's What You Need to Know
Buyers and sellers have more room to negotiate commissions, and that could reduce home prices over the long run.
By Sandra Block Published
-
How This Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund Outperforms Its Peers
The Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund took a cautious positioning at the start of the year, which has helped it beat the majority of its peers.
By Nellie S. Huang Published
-
Five Windows of Opportunity for Roth Conversions
When you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA matters if you want to limit how much you pay in taxes.
By Aaron Argiso, CFP® Published
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Rise After Strong September Jobs Report
Stocks were choppy Thursday as investors took in a higher-than-expected rise in jobless claims and strong growth in the services sector.
By Karee Venema Published
-
Strong September Jobs Report Puts Soft Landing in Sight: What the Experts Are Saying
Jobs Report A blowout reading on nonfarm payrolls takes another jumbo-sized cut to interest rates off the table.
By Dan Burrows Published
-
Spirit Airlines Stock Plunges on Bankruptcy Buzz: What to Know
Spirit Airlines is one of the worst stocks Friday as reports swirl that the discount airline could file for bankruptcy.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Rivian Stock Sinks on Deliveries Miss, Production Outlook
Rivian stock is spiraling Friday after the EV maker reported dismal Q3 deliveries and cut its production outlook for the year. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Tesla's Robotaxi Event: What Wall Street Expects
Tesla’s robotaxi event kicks off next week. Here’s what Wall Street expects to see and how analysts feel about the stock heading into the event.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Election 2024: Politics and Your Portfolio
Who wins the White House matters — but only at the margins when it comes to your investment portfolio.
By Anne Kates Smith Published