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For the first time in more than two decades, GE Aerospace has reclaimed an all-time high, marking a milestone that investors had nearly written off. On September 17, 2025, shares of GE Aerospace closed at $292.97 after touching $294.74 intraday, breaking past the prior record set in August 2000. The stock’s rally has been nothing short of dramatic, climbing about 72% year-to-date and beating the S&P 500 by roughly 84 percentage points, largely on the back of surging commercial jet demand. The achievement caps a turnaround story that took 9,150 days to unfold, after years of restructuring, debt reduction, and operational streamlining under CEO Larry Culp. Airlines face an unprecedented backlog of more than 14,000 aircraft orders from Boeing and Airbus, and GE Aerospace is positioned at the center of that demand, supplying engines for three-quarters of those planes through its own platforms and its Safran joint venture.
Back On Top After 25 Years
It took GE Aerospace more than 25 years to reach a new peak, underscoring both the magnitude of its past decline and the persistence of its recovery. The stock last set a record in August 2000, when GE, then a sprawling conglomerate, had a market capitalization of around $600 billion. In the years that followed, the company endured turbulence marked by deteriorating earnings, excessive leverage, and an ill-timed exposure to financial services. By late 2018, the shares fell below $40, and by 2020 they sank under $30 as the pandemic grounded fleets worldwide and battered aerospace demand. The return to a new high reflects not only investor confidence in GE Aerospace as a standalone business but also the structural changes resulting from the breakup of the old GE empire. Since its split, GE Aerospace has become the most valuable U.S. industrial company, with a market capitalization of about $310 billion. While this figure is still well below its 2000 peak, the symbolism of surpassing its prior stock high signals that the company has reestablished credibility in capital markets and is no longer viewed through the lens of past mismanagement. The surge comes amid strong order flows and services revenue that provide recurring income streams. Airlines’ need for engines and maintenance as global air travel rebounds has restored GE Aerospace’s strategic position, enabling it to leverage its massive installed base of more than 78,000 engines. The milestone also arrives as defense spending climbs, giving GE Aerospace another pillar of support. What sets this record apart is that it rests on tangible business fundamentals—jet demand, service backlog, and disciplined operations—rather than the broad conglomerate growth narrative that drove GE’s earlier highs.
Engines Of Growth
Jet demand is at the core of GE Aerospace’s surge, and the numbers illustrate just how significant the tailwind is. Airlines globally are waiting for approximately 14,000 planes from Boeing and Airbus, which equates to more than a decade of demand at current build rates. GE Aerospace or its joint venture with Safran will power about three-quarters of these aircraft, ensuring a steady stream of engine deliveries and service contracts well into the next decade. This dynamic is already evident in the financials: commercial engines and services delivered $27 billion in 2024 revenue, up 13%, with services accounting for 70% of total company revenue. The strength lies not only in selling engines but in the highly profitable aftermarket business, where airlines rely on GE for repairs, overhauls, and spare parts. In the second quarter of 2025 alone, CES (Commercial Engines & Services) revenue surged 30% year-over-year, driven by both higher shop visits and spare parts demand. The defense side adds resilience, with GE powering two-thirds of U.S. military combat and helicopter fleets, supported by modernization spending and international demand. Technological advances such as AI-enabled inspections and durability upgrades on LEAP engines are reducing downtime and improving performance, enhancing customer satisfaction and strengthening long-term contracts. Programs like the GEnx and GE9X for wide-bodies, as well as the LEAP for narrow-bodies, are scaling rapidly, with LEAP’s installed base expected to triple by 2030. Meanwhile, the CFM RISE program signals GE’s ambition to lead the next generation of propulsion, targeting a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency. Together, these commercial and defense growth engines ensure that GE Aerospace is not just enjoying a cyclical rebound but also building a platform for sustained output and profitability.
Culp’s Comeback Playbook
CEO Larry Culp’s restructuring has been pivotal in steering GE Aerospace back from the brink. Since taking over in 2018, he has overseen the reduction of roughly $100 billion in debt, reoriented the company around core aerospace operations, and broken GE into three distinct entities—GE Aerospace, GE Vernova, and GE Healthcare. These moves stabilized the business and unlocked value that was long obscured by the complexities of the old conglomerate structure. Central to the operational turnaround has been the implementation of the FLIGHT DECK lean operating system, which emphasizes safety, quality, delivery, and cost. By embedding this approach across its global network, GE has achieved measurable gains in productivity and reliability. For example, turnaround times at its Celma, Brazil maintenance site fell below 80 days for CFM56 engines after lean-driven improvements, while AI-powered blade inspection tools have cut inspection time by 50%. Supply chain stability has improved markedly, with key suppliers delivering over 95% of committed volumes in mid-2025, up from erratic performance in prior years. These operational gains are translating into financial outperformance: second quarter 2025 revenue rose 23%, profit increased 23% to $2.3 billion, and free cash flow nearly doubled to $2.1 billion. The company raised its 2025 guidance across revenue, profit, and free cash flow, while also lifting its 2028 outlook by $1.5 billion in both profit and free cash flow. Culp’s disciplined capital allocation includes a plan to return $24 billion to shareholders between 2024 and 2026 through dividends and buybacks, up 20% from prior commitments. This balance of debt reduction, operational rigor, and shareholder returns has rebuilt trust in management and created the conditions for GE Aerospace’s stock to reclaim record levels.
Still Chasing Its $600B Glory Days
Despite the symbolic new high, GE Aerospace’s valuation underscores that it remains far from its historic zenith. In 2000, GE commanded a market capitalization of about $600 billion, roughly double the $310 billion valuation it holds today. Adjusted for share splits, the stock’s unadjusted peak was $60.50 compared with the $294.74 intraday record in September 2025, highlighting the dilution from prior restructuring and the divestitures that removed substantial businesses from the GE umbrella. Valuation multiples suggest a market that is pricing in strong near-term performance but also leaving limited room for error. As of September 17, 2025, GE Aerospace trades at an LTM EV/EBITDA of 30.4x, an LTM P/E of 41.3x, and an LTM EV/Sales of 7.6x. On a forward basis, the stock carries an NTM P/E of 47.4x and an NTM EV/EBITDA of 30.9x. These multiples are elevated for an industrial company, reflecting optimism about the durability of services growth, backlog execution, and profitability expansion. At the same time, a levered free cash flow yield of just 2.4% and a dividend yield of 0.5% point to a rich valuation relative to cash generation. The comparison to its $600 billion market value in 2000 highlights how much has changed: GE Aerospace is now leaner and more focused, but it also operates in a narrower segment without the conglomerate breadth that once inflated its valuation. Investors tracking whether GE Aerospace can eventually surpass its historic market capitalization must weigh the potential of its backlog and technology pipeline against the reality of its already demanding multiples.
Key Takeaways
GE Aerospace’s return to an all-time high after 25 years represents a striking recovery story, fueled by surging demand for commercial jets, operational execution, and strategic restructuring under Larry Culp. The company has regained credibility and positioned itself as the most valuable U.S. industrial enterprise, with a clear growth engine in services and a robust defense portfolio. However, the achievement also highlights the distance from its $600 billion valuation peak and underscores that today’s $310 billion market cap is supported by premium valuation multiples. With LTM EV/EBITDA near 30x and LTM P/E above 40x, the market is already pricing in strong growth and efficiency gains. This leaves little room for disappointment if aircraft demand cools or execution falters. In weighing the positives of backlog strength and profitability expansion against the negatives of elevated valuation and lingering competitive pressures, GE Aerospace’s new high stands as both a milestone of recovery and a reminder of the challenges that remain in sustaining its trajectory.
