Boeing (NYSE: BA) is one of the leading aerospace companies in the world. But there’s a little bit a trivia that may be helpful for BA stock investors to observe as the markets sort themselves out for 2019.

Because the Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average, it means that the higher the price of the stock in the average, the more it moves the entire average.

BA stock is far and away the most expensive stock in the average, which means when Boeing is going higher, it can carry the entire average to new heights.

For example, BA’s move earlier this week added 70 points to the DJIA index.

For the new year, Boeing stock is already up 8%, and that has helped power the Dow’s rally as well.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is debatable. But the reality is, BA is seeing orders and deliveries grow and that is a good thing.

While there are a handful of commercial airplane makers still doing well, BA is one of the top two, especially for bigger planes. And that’s currently where the money is.

Where BA Stock Stands Today

The fact is, there is a significant long-term trend in place for air travel. In Asia, a rising middle class is now traveling much more than they used to because they have more disposable income.

That means, the older jets that carried passengers can’t do all the work they have been. And increasing demand means more airlines are ordering more jets for both domestic and international flights.

And as air travel becomes more commonplace, airlines are also competing for global business and that usually means building a fleet that people want to fly on.

Business and first class travel is especially lucrative for airlines, so creating luxury cabins for their best customers is also a top priority for airlines.

In more established Western markets, the fleets are aging and there wasn’t a lot of demand for new planes or upgraded cabins as the world struggled through the Great Recession. But those days are fading.

Now, established airlines have increasing international competition and in a country as big as the U.S., big old planes are being replaced.

Also remember, that while it may be prudent to use older planes as long as possible, at some point they reach diminishing returns for the airlines. The older planes are as fuel efficient as new planes and fuel costs are the main expense for airlines and managing fuel cost can spell boom or doom for companies.

Add to that the fact that keeping older planes flying requires increased amounts of maintenance and eventually those costs become prohibitive as well.

As long as the global economy continues to show a spark of life, BA is in a very good position. And if the trade talks with China (a major market for BA) and the U.S. are constructive, BA will be a major beneficiary. India and Indonesia are also major markets to watch.

All these reasons are why BA stock rates a B in my Portfolio Grader. If there was more clarity on trade talks, it would likely be enough to get it back to an A. That’s why now is a good time to get in, before everyone else starts to pile in.

— Louis Navellier

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Source: Investor Place