4 things Boeing shareholders want to see at annual meeting

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All eyes are on Boeing's (BA) annual shareholder meeting as a vote will be held to determine whether the company's embattled CEO, Dave Calhoun, will be reelected to the board. Boeing shareholder and Gabelli Funds Portfolio Manager Tony Bancroft joins Catalysts to break down what shareholders want to see from today's big meeting.

Bancroft lays out three key areas investors want to see prioritized after leadership decisions: a finalized Spirit deal, FAA authorization for increased 737 MAX production, and a better handle on the 787 supply chain.

Calhoun will step down as CEO at the end of the year, and despite mounting criticism, Bancroft says he believes he's done "a great job." "He took over in the midst of two mishaps, and then obviously, on top of that, COVID hit — the worst downturn in commercial air travel in history. And he essentially brought Boeing back from about zero production of the 737 MAX to 38 a month. That's a large increase," he explains.

He says that a new CEO doesn't necessarily have to be an insider but should possess a technical background: "Boeing at some point is going to have to design a new plane...I think someone who has that understanding and background to work with engineers could be heavily weighted for the decision."

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This post was written by Melanie Riehl