The Motley Fool compares GE Aerospace and SpaceX for 2027 investors

Two different aerospace bets

The Motley Fool says the comparison between GE Aerospace and SpaceX comes down to whether an investor prefers growth or stability. GE Aerospace focuses on aircraft engines and related services, while SpaceX is described as a private space company that is trying to expand access to orbit and global connectivity.

GE Aerospace’s business and financial position

According to The Motley Fool, GE Aerospace designs, makes, and services a large installed base of about 50,000 commercial engines and 30,000 military engines around the world. The company earns recurring revenue from its service network, which has supported these aviation units for many years.

The article says GE Aerospace reported about $45.9 billion in revenue in FY 2025, up roughly 18.5% from the prior year. It also reported net income of about $8.7 billion. The outlet notes a price-to-sales ratio of 6.0x based on market cap and trailing sales.

The Motley Fool reports that, as of December 2025, GE Aerospace had a debt-to-equity ratio of about 1.1x and a current ratio near 1.0x. Free cash flow was about $7.3 billion in FY 2025. The article says that cash generation supports dividend payments and work on next-generation engine technology.

SpaceX’s scale, growth, and losses

The Motley Fool says SpaceX builds and launches rockets and also runs the Starlink satellite internet network. Starlink is said to have more than 10 million subscribers worldwide and to provide service in 164 countries and territories. The company is described as using its own launch system to place satellites more often and at lower cost than rivals.

For FY 2025, the article says SpaceX generated about $18.7 billion in revenue, which was more than 33.2% higher than a year earlier. Even with that growth, it reported a net loss of about $4.9 billion because of heavy investment in infrastructure. The article says that produced a negative net margin of about 26.4%.

The Motley Fool also reports that SpaceX’s debt-to-equity ratio was about 0.6x as of December 2025, and its current ratio was 1.4x. Free cash flow was negative $14.0 billion in FY 2025. It adds that stock-based compensation made up about 28.7% of operating cash flow, which the article says inflated the cash figure because SBC is a non-cash expense added back in the cash flow statement.

Risks, valuation, and what the article says about 2027

The article says GE Aerospace faces risks tied to the cyclical commercial aviation market, including lower demand if global travel weakens. It also says the company must deal with geopolitical tensions that can affect defense contracts and international supply chains.

For SpaceX, The Motley Fool says the main risks are the capital-heavy nature of the business, possible launch failures, regulatory scrutiny over satellite launches and orbital debris, and rising competition in satellite internet.

On valuation, the article says GE Aerospace trades at a much lower forward price-to-earnings ratio than SpaceX, while SpaceX carries a triple-digit multiple on future earnings estimates. It also notes that the valuation data come from Financial Modeling Prep and may differ from other providers.

Forward-looking expectations and the article’s conclusion

The Motley Fool says SpaceX’s reusable rockets are meant to lower launch costs and spread fixed manufacturing expenses across more missions. It reports that Wall Street analysts project $48.9 billion in SpaceX sales for fiscal 2026 and a shift to $2.8 billion in net income. At the same time, the article says free cash flow is projected to remain deeply negative, at negative $56.6 billion this year and negative $148 billion in 2027.

The article also says Elon Musk’s success with Tesla has increased expectations around SpaceX, and that the company raised the world’s largest IPO at $85.7 billion this year. It says Starlink is a real business that helps offset the risk that broader ambitions do not work out.

For GE Aerospace, the article says management expects growth from engine awards tied to the Boeing F-47, a $1.4 billion U.S. Marines award, and commercial airline awards from United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta that together total more than $1 billion. It says fiscal 2026 revenue is expected to rise more than 18% to $52.3 billion, while net income is expected to increase 5% to $9.1 billion.

The Motley Fool says the choice is not obvious, but it concludes that GE Aerospace offers the more reasonable valuation and is the pick for long-term investors.