Did BA's Q3 2024 earnings meet expectations?

**Boeing's Q3 2024 earnings did not meet expectations.** Here's a detailed analysis:

1. **Analyst Estimates and Actual Performance**:
- Analysts had estimated an EPS of $-10.33 for Q3 2024.
- However, the actual EPS was $-1.16, which was better than expected but still reflected significant losses.
- Revenue was estimated at $18.23 billion, slightly higher than the actual revenue of $17.87 billion.

2. **Comparing with Previous Quarters**:
- Boeing's performance in Q3 2024 was an improvement from the previous quarter, where it reported a core loss per share of $2.90 and a free cash flow usage of $4.3 billion.
- The operating margin for Boeing Commercial Airplanes was -11.9% in Q2 2024, primarily due to lower deliveries and higher period costs.
3. **Challenges and Factors Affecting Performance**:
- Boeing faced supply chain challenges that impacted its performance.
- The company also experienced losses on fixed-price defense development programs.
4. **Trends and Forecasts**:
- Analysts had dropped their Q3 2024 earnings per share estimates for Boeing, with some forecasting earnings per share of $-1.16.
- Forecasts for Q4 2024 and FY2024 earnings per share were also lowered, indicating expectations of continued challenges.

In conclusion, while Boeing's Q3 2024 earnings were better than the dire forecasts of some analysts, they still indicated substantial losses. The company's performance was an improvement from the previous quarter but remained under pressure due to ongoing supply chain issues and losses on defense programs.