Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTLaiba ImmadFri, August 21, 2026 at 1:01 AM GMT+2 4 min readAerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE:AER) announced the delivery of its tenth Boeing 787 aircraft on lease to Grupo Aeromexico. This milestone marks AerCap's 100th Boeing 787 delivery from its direct order book with The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) and represents Aeromexico's 25th Dreamliner. AerCap remains the world's largest owner of Boeing 787 aircraft, holding an unmatched portfolio of approximately 140 owned and ordered 787s. Beyond commercial aviation delivery news, Boeing secured a major defense win on August 14: a $636.11 million U.S. Army contract modification for Apache airframe logistics, repair, and supply chain support, bringing the contract's total cumulative value to $1.13 billion with work extending through April 2029.Is AerCap Holdings N.V. (AER) a Better Aviation Investment Than The Boeing Company (BA)? Pixabay/Public DomainFinancial Breakdown: AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE:AER) Outperforms While The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) RebuildsAerCap delivered an outstanding Q2 2026 performance. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) surged to $5.14, handily crushing Wall Street estimates of $4.00, on revenues of $2.16 billion. Operating cash flow reached $1.5 billion, and the company generated $223 million in net gains from $1.4 billion in asset sales at an impressive 20% margin. AerCap raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $16.80 from $14.50.Boeing reported Q2 2026 revenue of $24.6 billion, driven by 171 commercial deliveries. Despite the top-line beat, Boeing recorded a core loss per share of $0.76 (missing the expected $0.29 loss) and a GAAP net loss of $428 million. Free cash flow turned positive at $631 million, and its commercial airplane backlog stands at a massive $597 billion (over 6,200 jets). Defense remains a steady stabilizing pillar, highlighted by a $636.11 million U.S. Army contract modification awarded on August 14 for Apache component support and logistics in Mesa, Arizona, bringing cumulative contract value to $1.13 billion.In terms of pure financial execution, AER is currently outperforming Boeing. AerCap operates with high profit margins, an 18% adjusted return on equity, and strong balance-sheet flexibility. BA generates far higher top-line scale, but continues to fight manufacturing bottlenecks, cost overruns, and negative margins in its commercial airplanes division.Bull and Bear CasesAerCap Holdings' bull case is supported by structural shortages in global aircraft supply, which could keep lease rates elevated, support multi-year predictable cash flows, and expand margins. However, the bear case centers on elevated interest rates, which increase debt servicing costs, while airline counterparty defaults and regional geopolitical disruptions could negatively affect lease collections and asset utilization.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info