In just six weeks, Boeing Co went from seeking government aid to announcing it no longer needed it. The company's $25-billion bond issue this week made all the difference.
The upsized deal, this year's largest investment-grade bond issue and the sixth-largest on record, surpassed Boeing's expectations. It underscores how the Chicago-based company capitalised on US government support, even without having to accept taxpayer money as aid.
On March 24, Boeing's Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith told Reuters in an interview that the credit markets were "essentially closed" to the largest US plane maker, and that the entire US aerospace industry