Top flying car stocks such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation have tumbled this year, wiping out billions of dollars in market value. Joby Aviation shares have fallen 48% year to date and 60% over the past 12 months, while Archer Aviation has declined 37% and 57%, respectively, despite both companies moving closer to commercial operations.
Archer Aviation vs Joby Aviation stocks | Source: TradingView Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) companies have been in the spotlight in the past few years as they seek to disrupt the transportation industry.
Their goal is to build small electric aircrafts that can travel by between 241 km/h and 322 km/hr carrying about 4 passengers. Archer’s Midnight will have a 160 km range, while Joby Aviation’s S4 has a 241 km range.
Archer and Joby have worked hard in the past few years to develop, test, and receive federal authorization for their flights. In this time, they have raised billions of dollars by selling shares and by receiving investments from external funders.
Toyota has become Joby’s biggest shareholder with 128 million shares. It also counts companies like Intel and Delta Air Lines as investors. Archer has received huge investments from Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep and Fiat.
The companies have also made a lot of progress in inking deals ahead of their launches. Joby Aviation finalized an electric air taxi deal with Virgin Atlantic this week. It also has similar deals with Delta Air Lines, Uber, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai.
Archer has deals with United Airlines, which will buy up to 200 aircrafts, Ethiopian Airlines, and Southwest.
Analysts estimates that the eVTOL industry has more room to grow in the near term. A study by Markets and Markets estimates that it will have a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3% between 2025 and 2035. Its market size will hit $5 billion then.
Joby and Archer are now gearing towards their commercialization stage, which will happen later this year or early 2026.
READ MORE: Why is Archer Aviation's stock jumping 18% today?
In theory, JOBY and ACHR stocks should be having a great year as they transition from cash spending to revenue generation. Their stocks have, however, plunged this year amid numerous concerns, which explains why their short short interest have soared. Joby has a short interest of 10%, while Archer has 14.28%.
There are several concerns among investors. First, the two companies have always been dilutive, a trend that will continue even when the commercialization process starts. Archer’s outstanding shares have jumped from 110 million in 2021 to over 623 million today. Joby’s outstanding shares have risen from 300 million in 2021 to over 560 million today.
The two companies have adequate cash in their balance sheets, with Joby and Archer having $2.4 billion and $1.8 billion in cash. Still, as we have seen with many startups, profitability will take time, which will see them raise more cash in equity and debt over time.
The next key catalyst for these stocks will be in early August when they release their financial results. Joby will release on August 5, while Archer releases two days after that.
Analysts are largely positive about Joby and Archer, with their targets being higher than where they are today. Cannacord Genuity has a target of $11.50, while Morgan Stanley sees Joby rising to $13. Needham and Oppenheimer have a target of $18.
On the other hand, the consensus Archer Aviation stock target is $11.8, up sharply from the current $4.75. Canaccord, Needham, and Goldman Sachs see the stock rising to $12, $9, and $11, respectively.
Archer Aviation (ACHR -0.87%) is an ambitious developer of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, also known as "flying taxis." Its flagship eVTOL craft -- Midnight -- is like a cross between a drone and a helicopter, and it could one day carry up to four passengers over traffic.
Archer has yet to certify its eVTOLs, and its stock value is a reflection of that: After flirting with a double-digit value last October, Archer's stock now trades at about $5 a share. With a market cap of $4 billion, could this be an opportunity to set you up for life, or is it a high-flying trap concealing enormous risk?
Image source: Archer Aviation.
The bull case for Archer is growing stronger -- but so is the bear The bull case for Archer rests on the fact that it no longer relies on a single narrative. Yes, it is still building -- or, rather, attempting to certify -- eVTOLs for urban mobility. But in addition to these pedestrian aims, it is also co-developing an autonomous VTOL aircraft platform with the defense company Anduril, which could open a revenue stream much sooner than passenger flights would.
Let's break the deal down. The announcement, which broke on July 20, showcased a new autonomous defense aircraft, "Thunder," which can bolster crewed aircraft to multiply combat power. Better yet, the VTOL aircraft could move forward without the same FAA certification requirements as the "civilian" Midnight. It will still require extensive testing and airworthiness approval, but its path to deployment could be faster than Midnight's.
Still, even with expanded military customers, Archer can't ignore a gaping hole in its young business: Midnight still lacks FAA type certification.
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Timelines for acquiring this required certification have slipped several times, and Archer now says it is aiming to certify its air taxis by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Given that Archer was also named the official air taxi provider for the Olympics, it will be quite the magic trick if it manages to manufacture and deliver a sufficient number of aircraft to service the Olympics in the same year it receives certification.
Archer is, of course, participating in a White House-backed program that aims to accelerate the deployment of eVTOLs in American cities in these "pre-certification" times. Whether this will actually fast-track the adoption of eVTOLs -- or lay the groundwork for infrastructure -- remains to be seen, but Archer, which has produced only a handful of Midnights to date, will certainly need to kick production into high gear regardless.
Could Archer set you up for life, or leave you empty-handed? If Archer and Anduril land a major commercial client in the upcoming weeks, with meaningful revenue attached, this stock could soar.
But don't confuse potential demand with a proven business model. Archer is still burning cash, Midnight is uncertified, and large-scale manufacturing of aircraft hasn't been shown. Even a major contract could take years to materialize in bottom- and top-line growth.
For now, I would continue to treat Archer as a speculative stock. The upside could be life-changing, but with so many pieces unproven, this is a stock for risk-tolerant investors who can afford to be patient -- or wrong.
Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $5.18, gaining 2.6% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $10.03 indicates a 93.6% upside potential.
The mean estimate comprises 10 short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $4. While the lowest estimate of $4.50 indicates a 13.1% decline from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 247.5% to reach $18.00. It's very important to note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.
While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.
However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in ACHR. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.
While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?
They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.
However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.
That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.
Why ACHR Could Witness a Solid UpsideAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
For the current year, one estimate has moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 5.2%.
Moreover, ACHR currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much ACHR could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.
Archer Aviation(ACHR -2.27%) has spent years developing an electric aircraft designed to carry four passengers across congested cities. Today, July 22, it just unveiled an aircraft that won’t carry any humans, not even a pilot.
“Halo” is its name, and it’s the commercial sibling of “Thunder," the defense aircraft Anduril unveiled earlier this week. Despite their different missions, Halo and Thunder share the same machinery: a hybrid-electric powertrain and two enormous tilt rotors that lift them vertically from the ground, then turn forward and pull them through the air like conventional airplanes.
The unveiling is one of Archer’s biggest developments of the year. And yet, if you looked only at Archer’s stock, you might have thought today was just another ordinary day. As of writing, Archer is down roughly 1%.
Still, I think this is big news for Archer investors, with long-term implications for its business. Let’s take a look.
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How Halo can help broaden Archer’s bull caseIn plain English, Halo gives Archer another way to answer a question that has puzzled investors for years: Can the company actually bring a commercially viable product to market (ideally one with wings) before its enormous cash burn devours its financial runway?
It has worked tirelessly to secure FAA type certification for Midnight, its flagship electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. And although it recently completed the third phase of the FAA’s four-phase process, the last step is the most demanding, requiring flight testing and analysis to prove Midnight is airworthy.
On that note, here’s a kicker: Archer hasn’t yet publicly demonstrated a piloted transition of Midnight (that is, shifting from vertical to forward flight with a pilot in the cockpit). That’s not to say Midnight cannot transition. But without a public demonstration, the question will surely linger.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
Speaking of pilots, Halo doesn’t need one. Like its sibling, Thunder, the aircraft is autonomous, which could allow it to perform hazardous missions without exposing a crew to danger. Just picture it: Halo can rush medicine to hospitals, or take supplies to disaster zones, or haul machinery to oil rigs. There is, in short, a legitimate commercial need for the kind of autonomous cargo and logistics missions that Halo can pull off. And tapping into that demand could generate meaningful revenue for Archer, something it currently lacks.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: This is an aircraft, not a revenue reveal. Archer named Marubeni Aerospace as Halo’s strategic launch partner, but it hasn’t disclosed any firm orders. And unlike Thunder, whose pathway to military airworthiness might be shorter than the FAA certification process for a civilian eVTOL, an autonomous commercial aircraft will likely face a more extensive approval process. Indeed, it’s worth noting that Thunder is planned for flight testing in 2027, whereas a first-flight date for Halo was not disclosed in today’s announcement.
As such, this is good news, but it still leaves Archer investors in roughly the same place: staring at a potentially large market opportunity that could still be years away.
Does the Archer-Anduril platform make Archer a buy? The unveiling of Thunder and Halo is a big update from Archer, but it doesn’t necessarily make it a screaming buy. Indeed, Archer still faces pretty much the same challenges as before: It needs to certify Midnight, launch commercial operations in the U.S., manufacture aircraft at scale, lay the infrastructure needed to support them, and prove its business can turn a profit over the long haul.
So, is it a buy? If you can tolerate volatility, picking up some shares of Archer now could prove rewarding over time. Most investors, however, will probably want to watch Archer from the sidelines, at least until Midnight secures FAA certification.
As transportation undergoes a radical shift toward electrification, investors are weighing the potential of flying taxis against luxury electric cars. Choosing between Archer Aviation (ACHR -2.27%) and Lucid Group (LCID -6.69%) involves balancing visionary technology with financial durability.
Archer Aviation focuses on urban air mobility, aiming to launch commercial air-taxi networks in major global hubs. Lucid competes in the premium automotive market, prioritizing industry-leading battery efficiency and high-end design. Both companies represent high-risk bets on the future of how people move, though they operate in different regulatory and manufacturing environments.
The case for Archer AviationArcher Aviation develops electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial and military use. This growth among industrial stocks is anchored by an agreement with United Airlines Holdings (UAL -0.92%) providing for the conditional purchase of up to $1.0 billion in Midnight aircraft. The company also partners with the U.S. Air Force and Stellantis (STLA +0.00%) for manufacturing support.
In FY 2025, Archer Aviation reported revenue of $300,000. This early-stage revenue was accompanied by a net loss of approximately $618.2 million. This reflects a company still in its pre-commercial phase as it pursues aircraft type and production certification.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 0.1x. This ratio measures total debt, including short- and long-term obligations, against shareholders' equity, with a lower number indicating less reliance on borrowed money. Free cash flow was negative at $511.7 million, representing the cash remaining after operating and capital spending are covered.
The case for Lucid GroupLucid Group manufactures luxury electric vehicles, including the Air sedan and the Gravity SUV, through direct-to-consumer channels. Its most significant customer relationship is with the government of Saudi Arabia, which has a 10-year agreement to purchase up to 100,000 vehicles. The company also works with Uber Technologies (UBER -1.96%) and Nuro to develop autonomous robotaxi fleets, though this customer concentration adds a layer of risk to its long-term outlook.
In FY 2025, revenue reached approximately $1.35 billion, which represents growth of more than 67% compared to the previous year. Despite this significant top-line growth, Lucid reported a net loss of roughly $3.7 billion, reflecting the high costs of automotive production and ongoing research and development at this stage.
According to the December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is nearly 1.2x. This means the company uses slightly more debt than equity to fund its capital-intensive operations. Free cash flow was negative $3.8 billion for the fiscal year.
Risk profile comparisonArcher Aviation faces significant regulatory hurdles, as it depends entirely on the FAA and other agencies for aircraft certification. Delays in receiving these approvals for the Midnight aircraft could indefinitely postpone the start of commercial revenue. Additionally, the company must prove it can successfully scale high-volume manufacturing in Georgia without previous experience in mass production, while also navigating complex legal disputes with competitors like Joby Aviation (JOBY +0.00%).
Lucid struggles with financial instability and a high cash burn rate, which has led to litigation and market volatility. The company also faces operational risks from leadership changes and historical manufacturing delays at its Arizona and Saudi Arabian facilities. Competition from established automakers like Tesla Inc (TSLA -1.19%) or luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz Group adds further pressure on sales, especially as high interest rates impact demand for premium vehicles.
Valuation comparisonArcher Aviation trades at a dramatically higher P/S ratio than Lucid, reflecting its extremely early stage of commercialization.
MetricArcher AviationLucidForward P/En/an/aP/S ratio1,890x1.7xValuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
The federal government created the framework in 2025 for real-world testing of eVTOL aircraft, a concrete step toward making Archer's vision a reality. Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia are other countries building similar regulatory frameworks. A lot still has to happen for Archer’s aircraft to get into the skies, but the notion that the nation's airspace is being regulated in a way that is holding back growth is one that has found favor.
Archer is taking steps to refurbish a small Los Angeles airport for use as its testing grounds and is working to scale up its manufacturing capabilities to eventually reach capacity for 50 planes a year. Management has an initial plan to focus on military and cargo uses for its plane, which would be an easier path to early revenue. Future estimates are speculative, but Wall Street analysts see Archer turning its first profit in 2030, with $2.3 billion in revenue, but a lot has to go right between now and then.
The major card Archer is holding is the purchase agreement with United Airlines to serve as taxis, extending the airline’s services. The contract isn’t guaranteed to be executed in full, however.
Meanwhile, Lucid has an agreement with Uber to provide 35,000 robotaxis, up from a previously announced 20,000, while Uber upped its investment in Lucid to $500 million from $350 million. The luxury EV maker said March orders jumped 144% from February this year, a bright light for the business, which still struggles with high cash burn. Still, sales gains are starting from a small base: its vehicle sales rate was just 43 units per day in 2025.
The Saudi agreement should pay dividends, with the company constructing a factory in the country that should ensure the government follows through on its orders. A focus on cutting operational costs should help, although Lucid is still expected to lose around $3.6 billion in fiscal 2026, while revenue grows about $600 million to $1.95 billion.
Both Archer and Lucid are EV pioneers in the early stage of their business plans. Archer’s price-to-sales is far too high to ignore at current prices, while Lucid’s very low P/S suggests it may be the better bet for 2026.
Key Takeaways ACHR advances Midnight development, production and flight testing for future air taxi services.ACHR expands its VTOL portfolio through a collaboration with Anduril on autonomous aviation.EH expands autonomous eVTOL applications across urban air mobility, aerial tourism and short-distance travel. Archer Aviation, Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) and EHang Holdings (EH - Free Report) are positioned to benefit from the rapid evolution of the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry as urban transportation shifts toward cleaner and more efficient aviation solutions. Both companies are advancing next-generation electric aircraft, expanding commercialization efforts and strengthening operational capabilities to support the development of future urban air mobility networks.
The eVTOL market is progressing through continued advancements in electric aircraft technology, certification programs, operational testing and supporting infrastructure. Increasing interest in sustainable urban transportation and low-altitude mobility services is encouraging broader adoption of electric aircraft across commercial markets. At the same time, collaboration with regulators, industry partners and public authorities is accelerating commercialization efforts and creating long-term opportunities for companies developing scalable eVTOL platforms and integrated air mobility ecosystems.
Let’s compare the stocks’ fundamentals to determine which one is the better investment option at present.
The Case for ACHR StockArcher Aviation is developing eVTOL aircraft for next-generation passenger transportation. The company is focused on bringing its Midnight aircraft to commercial markets by expanding engineering, production and flight-testing activities. Alongside aircraft development, Archer Aviation is strengthening its manufacturing footprint and working with industry partners to build the operational framework needed for future air taxi services.
On July 20, 2026, Archer Aviation and Anduril unveiled a jointly developed autonomous hybrid VTOL aircraft platform designed to support future autonomous aviation applications. The collaboration combines Archer Aviation's aircraft development capabilities with autonomous technologies to expand the company's advanced VTOL platform portfolio, strengthen its technology leadership and create additional long-term commercialization opportunities.
The Case for EH StockEHang Holdings develops autonomous eVTOL aircraft designed to support urban air mobility, aerial tourism and short-distance passenger transportation. The company continues advancing autonomous flight technologies, aircraft development and operational capabilities while expanding commercial applications for pilotless electric aircraft. Its strategy focuses on building an integrated ecosystem for safe and efficient low-altitude transportation services.
In June 2026, EHang Holdings was selected to participate in Hong Kong's Low-Altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox program with its EH216-S autonomous eVTOL aircraft. The initiative supports demonstration flights and operational testing under Hong Kong's evolving low-altitude aviation framework, enhancing EHang Holdings' commercialization efforts and supporting the broader deployment of its autonomous eVTOL services.
How Does the Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for ACHR & EH?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archer Aviation's 2026 sales indicates a massive rise of 4,144.67%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EHang Holdings’ 2026 sales calls for a decline of 46.53%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Debt Position of ACHR & EHDebt position is an important financial indicator that reflects a company’s financial stability and ability to manage debt obligations efficiently. Currently, ACHR's debt-to-capital ratio is 3.65%, while EH's stands at 29.61%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AVAV & EH’s Price PerformanceOver the past month, ACHR shares have gained 0.6%, while EH shares have declined 18.2%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation for ACHR & EHACHR shares are trading at a forward 12-month Price/Book (P/B TTM) multiple of 1.93 compared with EH’s P/B TTM of 2.82.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Summing UpBoth companies are participating in the expanding eVTOL and urban air mobility market. Archer Aviation is focused on developing electric passenger aircraft, expanding manufacturing capabilities and advancing commercialization through strategic partnerships and operational infrastructure. EHang Holdings specializes in autonomous eVTOL aircraft and low-altitude mobility solutions, with continued efforts to expand commercial operations and pilotless flight services.
Our choice at the moment is Archer Aviation, supported by its substantially stronger sales growth outlook, more attractive valuation, better debt position and stronger recent stock price performance compared with EHang Holdings.
Archer Aviation currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while EHang Holdings carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Delta, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 22, 2026) - Investorideas.com, a trusted leader in publishing investing ideas for over 25 years issues a snapshot of recent news for aviation stocks, featuring Fly Flyte, Inc., the Regional Air Mobility subsidiary of Catheter Precision, Inc. (NYSE American: VTAK).
Aviation Stocks Lift Off: Flyte (VTAK) Teams Up with Blade Urban Air Mobility
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Aviation stocks mentioned in this article include Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY), Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) and Airbus SE (OTC: EADSY).
According to Mordorintelligence, "The aviation market was valued at USD 358.85 billion in 2025 and will expand to a market size of USD 524.14 billion by 2030, reflecting a 7.87% CAGR. The aviation market benefits from renewed passenger demand, accelerated fleet modernization, and record public- and private-sector investment in sustainable propulsion."
While many companies are focused on developing the aircraft of the future, Flyte is dedicated to building a premium regional aviation network today.
Fly Flyte, Inc., the Regional Air Mobility subsidiary of Catheter Precision, Inc. (NYSE American: VTAK), just announced a strategic partnership with Blade Urban Air Mobility designed to expand customer reach, increase booking opportunities, improve aircraft utilization and accelerate awareness of the Flyte platform among premium aviation travelers.
Blade is the leading helicopter passenger service in the world, with operations in the United States and Europe. The Company's asset-light model, coupled with its exclusive passenger terminal infrastructure and proprietary technologies, will enable a seamless transition from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to Joby's (NYSE:JOBY) Electric Vertical Aircraft, enabling lower-cost air mobility that is both quiet and emission-free.
From the news:
Under the partnership, Flyte's Cirrus Vision Jet fleet and charter offerings will be featured on Blade's platform, providing Blade passengers with access to a modern, efficient, and cost-effective private aviation solution for regional travel.
The partnership is expected to expand Flyte's visibility among a large and highly targeted audience of premium aviation consumers already utilizing technology-enabled air mobility solutions.
Flyte believes its Cirrus Vision Jet fleet is uniquely positioned to complement Blade's customer base, which has historically focused on premium, time-sensitive regional travel solutions.
"We're excited to partner with Blade and make Flyte's Vision Jet fleet available through one of the industry's most recognized aviation platforms," said Marc Sellouk, Founder and CEO of Flyte. "This relationship broadens our distribution, introduces Flyte to a wider customer base, and represents another important step in executing our long-term growth strategy."
The Cirrus Vision Jet offers a differentiated private aviation experience featuring advanced safety technologies, including the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) and Safe Return Emergency Autoland, making it one of the most technologically advanced aircraft operating within the regional aviation marketplace.
Flyte continues to execute on its strategy of building a scalable regional air mobility platform through strategic partnerships, fleet expansion, technology integration, and increased consumer awareness initiatives. The company believes partnerships with established aviation brands can help accelerate growth while expanding access to premium travel customers throughout the United States.
The agreement is non-exclusive and subject to the terms and conditions of the parties' agreement.
Flyte (www.flyflyte.com) is a private aviation company operating a growing fleet of Cirrus Vision Jets and providing efficient short-haul travel throughout the United States. Through fixed pricing, online booking, and a technology-enabled operating platform, Flyte delivers a faster, safer, and more convenient alternative to traditional private charter travel.
Flight operations are conducted through Flyte's wholly owned subsidiary, Ponderosa Air, LLC, an FAA-certified Part 135 air carrier.
Flyte's long-term strategy:
An operating regional aviation network rather than a concept.
A growing base of premium customers.
Experience delivering luxury short-haul air travel.
A scalable operating platform.
Commercial partnerships that expand distribution and customer access.
A business model that can evolve alongside future aviation technologies.
The acquisition of Blade was announced on September 10, 2025. Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE: JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), the largest rideshare and delivery platform in the world, announced the plan to bring Blade's air mobility services to the Uber app as soon as next year, following Joby's recent acquisition of Blade's passenger business.
From the news:
In 2024, Blade flew more than 50,000 passengers across a network of routes in the New York metropolitan area and Southern Europe, including high-traffic destinations such as Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Manhattan and the Hamptons.
"We're excited to introduce Uber customers to the magic of seamless urban air travel," said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. "Integrating Blade into the Uber app is the natural next step in our global partnership with Uber and will lay the foundation for the introduction of our quiet, zero-emissions aircraft in the years ahead. Together with Uber's global platform and Blade's proven network, we're setting the stage for a new era of air travel worldwide."
Andrew Macdonald, President and COO of Uber commented, "Since Uber's earliest days, we've believed in the power of advanced air mobility to deliver safe, quiet, and sustainable transportation to cities around the world. By harnessing the scale of the Uber platform and partnering with Joby, the industry leader in advanced air mobility, we're excited to bring our customers the next generation of travel."
Getting the market's attention on July 20th, Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR) unveiled their jointly-developed autonomous VTOL aircraft platform, built to serve both defense and commercial applications. Anduril showcased the defense variant, Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft specifically designed to multiply the combat power of current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft.
The stock had its best run in a year on the news with CNBC reporting, 'Archer stock rips 20% higher as company unveils military craft with Anduril.'
From the news:
Together, the two companies have built what they believe to be a step change in vertical lift: a new class of autonomous aircraft with the speed, range, payload and operating cost that defense and commercial missions demand. Archer will announce its first commercial partners for the platform later this week.
Thunder builds on a dual-use platform developed by Archer and Anduril, bringing the commercial VTOL sector's rapid innovation in electric propulsion and rotor design directly into a clean sheet configuration.
A series hybrid-electric powertrain enables the aircraft to achieve significant range and endurance, while still maintaining the necessary precision to closely optimize power through the full range of flight conditions. Meanwhile, dual tiltrotors vary rotor RPM to maintain efficiency across flight regimes, reducing power demand and fuel burn in cruise and minimizing acoustic signature to enhance survivability during low-altitude ingress.
The platform's tiltrotor configuration combines vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) with efficient wingborne cruise, enabling runway-independent operations from austere locations without the range constraints of traditional rotorcraft.
Anduril and Archer have configured the dual-use platform to bring modular, heavy payloads to an array of commercial and defense applications. It leverages years of development and flight testing on air taxis, highlighting Archer's proven ability to rapidly design, manufacture and fly advanced VTOL aircraft platforms.
"From raw performance to producibility, harnessing the best technologies from the commercial eVTOL market for defense is central to how Thunder will deliver operational value to our customers. The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we've built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability," said Shane Arnott, SVP of Maneuver Dominance at Anduril.
"This mission required a clean sheet design, built from the ground up to meet the needs of modern commercial and defense applications. We couldn't simply tweak our existing aircraft. Instead, we took a bold first principles approach alongside Anduril to develop what we believe is the most sophisticated vertical lift aircraft ever made," said Adam Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Archer.
In other aviation stock news, Airbus SE (OTC: EADSY) gained in Monday's trading following company news. Airbus reported: SMBC Aviation Capital, a leading global aviation finance platform, has placed a firm order for an additional 65 A321neo and 35 A320neo aircraft. The agreement was finalised at the Farnborough International Airshow.
"This significant new order will give our airline customers access to a continuous delivery pipeline of the latest technology A320neo family aircraft into the mid-2030s," said Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital. "We are pleased to build on the deep partnership we have established with Airbus over the last 25 years, and this latest order reflects our confidence in the long-term demand for the A320neo family. Today's announcement reflects SMBC Aviation Capital's long-term commitment to supporting our airline customers, positioning us as the leading global aviation finance platform, ready to meet their ever-evolving needs."
As the industry evolves, investors and consumers may increasingly evaluate not only the companies building the next generation of aircraft, but also the companies building the networks those aircraft may one day serve.
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FARNBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ACHR #Archer--Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) today announced Halo, the commercial variant of a jointly-developed dual-use platform built to serve both defense and commercial applications. Anduril unveiled Thunder, the defense variant of the platform, on Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow. The two variants share the same airframe, hybrid powertrain and core systems, with configurable payload depending on mission requirements. Archer Technology Stack This new d.
The civilian electric vertical takeoff and landing market remains trapped in a regulatory holding pattern. Developing a functional urban air-taxi network requires deep consumer adoption, local infrastructure overhauls, and grueling Federal Aviation Administration approvals.
For pre-revenue developers in the aerospace sector, this translates to heavy cash burn with an ambiguous timeline for actual commercial deployment. The capital requirements to bring a clean-sheet aviation design from prototype to passenger-ready status are staggering, leaving early investors exposed to years of dilutive funding rounds.
Navigating these early-stage aviation equities requires identifying structural pivots before they are fully priced into the market. A pure-play focus on civilian urban air mobility presents a high-risk scenario tied entirely to municipal regulations and retail demand. To survive the prolonged path to commercialization, an aerospace developer needs a secondary source of capital to validate its core flight architecture.
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Entering the Arsenal: A Tactical AllianceArcher Aviation Today
$5.28 -0.04 (-0.66%)
As of 07/21/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
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52-Week Range$4.30▼
$14.62Price Target$11.83
Archer Aviation NYSE: ACHR just altered that trajectory, forcing a structural repricing across the entire sector. Partnering with defense technology heavyweight Anduril, Archer Aviation unveiled its Thunder autonomous rotorcraft at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026. By adapting its core flight architecture for contested defense environments, Archer Aviation is decisively bypassing civilian regulatory gridlock and tapping into immediate Department of War demand.
This strategic shift from a speculative civilian air-taxi provider to a manufacturer of artificial intelligence (AI) powered kinetic warfare hardware fundamentally changes the risk profile for Archer Aviation. The underlying flight technology is no longer waiting for consumer validation. It is being validated on the battlefield. Securing a dual-use military application completely shifts the narrative from cash-burning consumer tech to essential national security infrastructure.
Stealth and Stature: Flying Under the RadarWhen evaluating aerospace developers, identifying total addressable market expansion is a crucial fundamental metric. The Thunder platform is not a personnel transport vehicle. It is explicitly classified as a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft, engineered to serve as a loyal wingman alongside crewed combat platforms like the AH-64 Apache.
The technical specifications perfectly align with modern asymmetric warfare requirements. Thunder integrates Archer Aviation's series-hybrid electric powertrain and dual tiltrotors with the Lattice mission autonomy software developed by Anduril.
The hardware allows for runway-independent operations and heavy modular payload delivery. Crucially, the electric propulsion reduces the aircraft's acoustic signature, enabling nap-of-the-earth flight to bypass radar in contested airspace.
From a capital structure perspective, the Department of War operates on a completely different budget paradigm than the retail consumer market. Military contracts offer structured milestone payments and established procurement volume, providing a pathway to non-dilutive capital.
Traditional pre-revenue developers survive by issuing secondary shares, heavily diluting existing shareholders to fund ongoing research. Securing early defense spending insulates the balance sheet from consumer macroeconomic headwinds and validates intellectual property in a way civilian prototypes cannot.
Desert Departure: Joby's Retail RunwayUnderstanding the gravity of this pivot requires looking at the broader competitive landscape. While Archer Aviation develops its defense applications, its peer, Joby Aviation NYSE: JOBY, currently dominates the civilian market. Joby Aviation has locked in a commercial launch in Dubai slated for 2026, working directly with established ride-sharing networks to launch a functional urban air mobility ecosystem.
The imminent revenue realization from Joby Aviation creates existential pressure on the rest of the sector. Engaging in a price-to-market war for civilian adoption against an entrenched competitor is a fast track to margin compression and capital exhaustion.
Archer Aviation recognized this threat and executed a strategic maneuver to capture a non-correlated revenue stream. Rather than fighting Joby Aviation for early market share in saturated urban centers, Archer Aviation is focusing on contested logistics and precision weapon deployment. This removes equity from direct civilian competition and positions it to capture government defense allocations, a sector that has remained historically robust regardless of broader economic conditions.
Burning Capital: The Liquidity EquationNavigating these specific equities requires strict attention to liquidity and capital runway. Archer Aviation ended the first quarter of 2026 with approximately $1.8 billion in total liquidity, combining cash and short-term investments.
This robust cash position is an absolute necessity against an elevated burn rate. The operations currently post an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization loss of roughly $200-$225 million per quarter, driven almost entirely by intensive research and development costs.
While the $1.8 billion provides a substantial buffer, the timeline remains extended. The official first flight for Thunder is scheduled for 2027, delaying immediate revenue recognition. The market responded enthusiastically to the Anduril partnership, sending shares up 19% on heavy options volume, with traders purchasing 77,081 call options in a single session.
Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR) Price Chart for Wednesday, July, 22, 2026
Despite this retail momentum, structural overhead remains a prominent factor. Short interest sits between 15% and 17% of the free float, representing roughly 108 million shares sold short. With days-to-cover metrics ranging from 2.5 to 4.6, the stock has the structural framework for localized short-covering rallies amid high-volume catalyst events. However, careful investors must reconcile this options-driven momentum with recent executive actions.
Recent Form 4 filings reveal a persistent pattern of insider liquidations. Key executives executed numerous open-market sales over the trailing six months with zero open-market purchases. While insider selling often occurs for tax purposes or basic portfolio diversification, steady distribution during a major positive catalyst warrants close monitoring. It signals that management recognizes the lengthy commercialization timeline ahead and prefers immediate liquidity while waiting for defense contracts to materialize into hard revenue.
Final Approach: The Future of FlightThe integration of commercial electric aviation into military operations marks a definitive shift in defense procurement. Archer Aviation has successfully demonstrated that its proprietary propulsion and rotor designs have significant value beyond the highly speculative air-taxi market. The partnership with Anduril legitimizes the hardware, offering a viable path to government-backed funding that bypasses the friction of early retail adoption.
Market dynamics validate the necessity of this defense pivot, even if the timeline for materializing capital remains extended into 2027. This structural shift provides a compelling narrative for long-term valuation expansion, provided Archer Aviation can efficiently manage its cash bleed through the upcoming testing phases.
Investors seeking exposure to next-generation aerospace technologies might consider monitoring upcoming quarterly filings for any material shifts in research expenditures or definitive timelines regarding initial Department of War delivery milestones.
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But the move higher may soon end. The shares are getting close to a resistance level. This is why Archer is the Stock of the Day.
• Archer Aviation stock is trading near recent lows. Where is ACHR stock headed?
As you can see on the chart, the $5.50 level was support for Archer. Now it has become a resistance level.
Support is a price level where there is a large amount of demand for a stock. In other words, there are a lot of buy orders. This is why selloffs end when they reach support.
Sometimes stocks rally after they reach support. This happens when some of the buyers who created the support become anxious and impatient.
They increase bid prices. Other anxious and impatient buyers see this and do the same thing, and this results in a rally.
But sometimes when stocks reach support levels, sellers eventually overpower buyers and push the price below support. When this happens, traders say support has been broken.
If support breaks, some of the people who purchased shares at the support level come to regret doing so. They decide to hold on to losing positions, but also decide that if they can eventually do so, they will sell out at breakeven.
As a result, when the shares rally back up to what had been a support level, these unhappy buyers place sell orders. If there is a large quantity of these orders, it can create resistance at the same price that had been support.
As you can see on the chart, the $5.50 level was support for Archer. Now it is a resistance level.
Traders who can identify important price levels will profit.
Photo: Courtesy Archer Aviation
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If you thought Archer Aviation (ACHR 0.56%) was only building flying taxis, you might want to think again.
On July 20, Archer and defense company Anduril unveiled an autonomous VTOL aircraft platform, with a defense variant, “Thunder", also introduced. Since late 2024, both companies have been jointly developing technology for the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) sector. While “Thunder” is a defense variant, Archer says it will announce the platform’s first commercial customers later this week.
The importance of this platform for Archer cannot be overstated. The company is not generating meaningful revenue, and Midnight, its flagship electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, still lacks FAA type certification. If, however, it can turn the Anduril platform into firm orders, it could create a path to meaningful revenue while Midnight continues working through the certification process.
Archer stock jumped roughly 20% on the news, which puts it roughly 30% lower on the year. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to buy this beaten-down aviation stock, let’s take a closer look to see if now is the time to jump in.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
A new path to revenue, but no firm orders yet Archer Aviation, in a nutshell, is a frontrunner in the nascent eVTOL and urban mobility space. Its flagship aircraft, Midnight, is being engineered for short-distance urban air travel. In practice, this eVTOL could transform city commutes by replacing hour-long slogs through congested streets with a relatively peaceful 10-minute ride in a quiet electric aircraft.
As mentioned above, Midnight is not FAA-certified. That said, Archer has been moving steadily through the FAA’s rigorous regulatory process. In April, it became the first eVTOL company to close out Phase 3 of the FAA’s four-phase process. Archer is now working through the final phase, during which it will conduct formal testing and show that Midnight is airworthy for passengers.
Progress is encouraging, but it’s not money. And, right now, money is firmly top of mind for Archer investors. The company has strong liquidity -- about $1.8 billion available -- but cash burn has become hard to ignore. Quarterly, it’s ripping through about $180 million. That gives it a runway of about two and a half years, assuming that burn rate stays the same.
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This is where the Archer-Anduril platform could be useful. Unlike the fully electric Midnight, the new aircraft uses a hybrid-electric powertrain, which means it can theoretically stay airborne longer and carry heavier loads. That could easily broaden Archer’s opportunities beyond short urban hops into other, more urgent markets, like defense and cargo. More importantly, Thunder (and other military variants) could reach deployment faster than Midnight, as military aircraft do not have to undergo the same FAA certification process as civilian passenger aircraft.
That, as CEO Adam Goldstein said, is the “beauty of the defense market.” Whether or not it translates into firm sales is yet to be seen. But the opportunity is encouraging, as it gives Archer a potential path to revenue while Midnight works through the regulatory process.
Does this make Archer a buy? The Ancher-Anduril platform could help offset some of the eVTOL company’s near-term spending. But it does not fundamentally change the company’s long-term trajectory. Archer still needs to certify Midnight and build a viable air taxi service if it wants to grow into a profitable business.
For now, Archer remains a high-risk, high-reward stock best suited to investors who can tolerate volatility and uncertainty.
Anduril and Archer Aviation on Monday announced the joint development of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform that can serve both commercial and defense applications.
The defense variant of the VTOL aircraft, dubbed Thunder, was unveiled by Anduril at the Farnborough Airshow in England.
The companies said that the dual-use platform represents a step change in the vertical lift space, leveraging commercial electric propulsion for VTOL aircraft as well as offering the speed, range, payload and operating costs that will be useful for defense and commercial uses.
The defense variant of the VTOL aircraft, dubbed Thunder, was unveiled by Anduril at the Farnborough Airshow in England. (Archer Aviation)
It operates on a hybrid-electric powertrain that helps boost the platform's range and endurance, while it also utilizes dual tiltrotors to maintain its efficiency in different flight regimes by lowering power demand and fuel consumption when cruising and minimizing its acoustic signature to increase its survivability when making a low-altitude ingress.
FLYING TAXIS COULD SOON TAKE FLIGHT AS FAA GREEN-LIGHTS TESTS IN 26 STATES
The platform has been configured to carry modular, heavy payloads for a range of commercial and defense applications, building on Archer's experience developing and flying air taxis.
Thunder's first flight is planned to occur in 2027, according to Anduril and Archer. (Archer Aviation)
"From raw performance to producibility, harnessing the best technologies from the commercial eVTOL market for defense is how Thunder will deliver operational value to our customers," said Shane Arnott, SVP of maneuver dominance at Anduril.
"The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we've built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability," Arnott added.
ARCHER, ANDURIL TO DEVELOP NEXT-GEN DEFENSE AIRCRAFT
Archer Aviation and Anduril Industries unveiled the dual-use platform's military variant, Thunder, at the Farnborough Airshow in England. (Courtesy of Archer Aviation)
Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer, said the clean sheet design was necessary to allow the two companies to "build from the ground up to meet the needs of modern commercial and defense applications."
"We couldn't simply tweak our existing aircraft. Instead, we took a bold first principles approach alongside Anduril to develop what we believe is the most sophisticated vertical lift aircraft ever made," Goldstein added.
Ticker Security Last Change Change % ACHR ARCHER AVIATION INC 5.27 -0.02 -0.38% A NEW WAY OF COMMUTING IS CLOSER TO TAKING OFF IN THE US
The announcement said the team behind the aircraft had completed multiple test flights with full-scale surrogate aircraft, which the companies called a critical step to proving the systems that will help power the Thunder.
Thunder's first flight is planned for 2027, according to Anduril and Archer.
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Archer is expected to announce commercial partners for the civilian variant of the VTOL.
The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry is no longer just a collection of futuristic concepts. Several companies now have aircraft in advanced testing, regulators are actively working toward certification, and commercial launches are beginning to take shape.
Of course, that doesn't mean every eVTOL stock deserves a place in your portfolio. But if I had to choose one today, I'd buy Joby Aviation (JOBY +1.81%) and avoid Archer Aviation (ACHR 0.47%).
Buy: Joby Aviation Joby has consistently stayed ahead of nearly every competitor in the industry. To date, the company has completed more than 50,000 miles of test flights, making it one of the most tested eVTOL developers in the world. It's also steadily progressing through the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) certification process, which remains the biggest hurdle before commercial service can begin.
Earlier this year, Joby began flying its first FAA-conforming production aircraft. This is a big deal because it's built to the same standards regulators expect for commercial certification. Joby isn't just building aircraft at this point. It's actively building an operating business.
The company currently has partnerships with Delta Air Lines to launch airport shuttle services in New York and Los Angeles and with Virgin Atlantic to bring similar services to the United Kingdom. It also acquired Uber Elevate several years ago, giving it an established software platform and customer relationships that should help commercial operations.
International expansion is underway, too. Joby has completed demonstration flights in Japan and the United Arab Emirates and expects Dubai to become one of its first commercial markets.
A healthy balance sheet At the end of Q1, 2026, Joby reported approximately $1.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and investments. That gives management a lot of flexibility as it works toward commercialization without immediately returning to capital markets.
Yes, it's true that Joby is still losing money. Revenue remains minimal, and profitability is likely several years away. But among publicly traded eVTOL companies, Joby appears to have the strongest combination of technology, certification progress, strategic partnerships, and financial resources.
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Avoid: Archer Aviation Archer has made meaningful progress over the past year, but there are still some pretty serious execution risks. Indeed, the company has generated excitement through high-profile partnerships with United Airlines, Stellantis, and the U.S. military. Its Midnight aircraft continues to advance through flight testing, too.
Those are legitimate strengths, but the problem is that much of Archer's valuation already assumes successful execution. And like Joby, Archer has yet to generate meaningful commercial revenue. Its business still depends on obtaining FAA certification, scaling manufacturing, building charging infrastructure, training pilots, and convincing customers to adopt an entirely new transportation model. That's a long list of things that all have to go right.
Financially, Archer remains well funded, reporting roughly $1.7 billion in cash and cash equivalents. But scaling an aerospace manufacturing business isn't cheap. Production delays, certification setbacks, or slower-than-expected customer adoption could force additional fundraising and dilute existing shareholders.
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There's also another concern. Unlike Joby, which intends to operate much of its own air taxi network, Archer relies more heavily on partners to commercialize its aircraft. That model could ultimately work, but it also gives Archer less direct control over customer relationships and long-term operating economics.
The better long-term investment The eVTOL market has enormous potential. Morgan Stanley has estimated the industry could eventually exceed $1 trillion as urban air mobility expands into passenger transportation, cargo delivery, defense, and emergency services.
Image source: Getty Images.
But don't confuse a promising industry with guaranteed winners. Joby appears to have established an early lead where it matters most: certification progress, operational testing, international expansion, and commercial partnerships. It also has one of the strongest balance sheets in the sector, reducing the likelihood of near-term shareholder dilution.
Archer could certainly become a successful company over time. If management executes flawlessly, today's valuation may eventually prove justified. But investing isn't about identifying companies that can succeed. It's about identifying companies with the highest probability of success. Today, Joby checks more of those boxes.
If you're looking for exposure to the growing eVTOL market, I'd buy Joby Aviation and leave Archer Aviation on the watch list until it proves it can turn promising technology into a sustainable business.
Amova Asset Management Americas Inc. decreased its stake in Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR – Free Report) by 3.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,651,742 shares of the company’s stock after selling 262,449 shares during the quarter. Amova Asset Management Americas Inc. owned approximately 1.03% of Archer Aviation worth $39,560,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Archer Aviation in the fourth quarter worth $58,494,000. Man Group plc raised its stake in shares of Archer Aviation by 13,793.3% in the second quarter. Man Group plc now owns 4,212,722 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,708,000 after acquiring an additional 4,182,400 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its position in shares of Archer Aviation by 423.3% during the fourth quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 5,126,217 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,549,000 after purchasing an additional 4,146,574 shares in the last quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Archer Aviation by 12.4% during the fourth quarter. ARK Investment Management LLC now owns 35,170,701 shares of the company’s stock worth $264,484,000 after purchasing an additional 3,869,252 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Archer Aviation by 11.2% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 32,773,136 shares of the company’s stock valued at $246,454,000 after purchasing an additional 3,293,130 shares during the last quarter. 59.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Archer Aviation Stock Performance Shares of Archer Aviation stock opened at $5.33 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $5.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $6.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 18.06 and a current ratio of 18.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.84 and a beta of 3.19. Archer Aviation Inc. has a 52 week low of $4.30 and a 52 week high of $14.62.
Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, May 11th. The company reported ($0.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.25) by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $1.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.66 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($0.17) EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Archer Aviation Inc. will post -1.47 EPS for the current year.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their price objective on Archer Aviation from $13.00 to $12.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Archer Aviation in a research report on Friday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Archer Aviation currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $11.83.
Read Our Latest Report on ACHR
More Archer Aviation News Here are the key news stories impacting Archer Aviation this week:
Positive Sentiment: Archer and Anduril introduced “Thunder,” an autonomous VTOL platform designed for both defense and commercial use, giving Archer a new growth avenue beyond urban air mobility. Anduril and Archer Unveil Jointly-Developed Autonomous VTOL Platform For Commercial and Defense Applications Positive Sentiment: The market is reacting favorably to Archer’s push into defense, with the new platform seen as a potential way to speed commercialization and diversify revenue sources. Archer, Anduril unveil autonomous aircraft platform for defense, commercial markets Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment was also supported by management reiterating Archer’s goal to achieve certification by 2028, which suggests continued progress toward commercialization. Archer CEO reaffirms ‘ambitious’ 2028 flight goal as company unveils military craft with Anduril Insider Activity In other Archer Aviation news, CAO Harsh Rungta sold 12,414 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.95, for a total value of $73,863.30. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 87,210 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $518,899.50. This represents a 12.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Eric Lentell sold 48,169 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.95, for a total transaction of $286,605.55. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 141,084 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $839,449.80. This represents a 25.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold a total of 250,743 shares of company stock worth $1,497,672 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 5.55% of the company’s stock.
About Archer Aviation (Free Report)
Archer Aviation, Inc (NYSE: ACHR) is a California-based aerospace company developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to serve as sustainable urban air mobility solutions. Founded in 2018 by Adam Goldstein and Brett Adcock, Archer focuses on the design, development and certification of zero-emissions air taxis aimed at reducing traffic congestion in densely populated metropolitan areas. The company’s flagship prototypes, “Maker” and “Midnight,” have been engineered to deliver quiet, efficient short-haul flights with ranges of up to 100 miles per charge.
Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Archer operates a manufacturing facility in nearby Santa Cruz County and maintains research partnerships with automotive and energy companies, including a collaboration with Stellantis to integrate advanced battery systems.
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Archer Aviation (ACHR +19.59%), an eVTOL aircraft developer and urban air mobility operator, closed at $5.31, up 19.59%. Shares jumped after Archer and Anduril unveiled Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft. Investors are watching commercial partner announcements and defense demand next. Trading volume reached 95.7M shares, coming in about 125% above its three-month average of 42.6M shares. Archer Aviation IPO'd in 2020 and has fallen 47% since going public.
How the markets moved todayS&P 500 (^GSPC 0.19%) slipped 0.17% to 7,445, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.05%) edged down 0.05% to 25,508. Among aerospace and defense peers focused on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft development and manufacturing, Joby Aviation closed at $7.47, up 3.32%, and Vertical Aerospace ended at $1.61, up 8.78%.
What this means for investorsArcher and promising private defense unicorn Anduril paired to develop a hybrid-electric VTOL platform that the companies believe will usher in the next generation of vertical lift capabilities for both commercial and defense customers. Shane Arnott, the SVP of Maneuver Dominance at Anduril, explained, “The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we’ve built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability.”
The companies are planning for Thunder’s first flight in 2027, and Archer plans to announce its first commercial customers for the new platform later this week.
Despite today’s pop, Archer is still down 55% over the last year, and its $4 billion market cap could prove far too small if eVTOLs become commonplace over the coming decades. That said, it is going to be a highly volatile ride, and profitability is likely years away at best, so if you like the stock’s prospects, I’d advise making small bets over time, rather than going “all-in” in one purchase.
Shares of Archer Aviation (ACHR +19.03%) charged sharply higher Monday morning, gaining as much as 19.8%. As of 12:50 p.m. ET, the stock was still up 18.9%.
The catalyst that sent the electric vertical takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft specialist higher was the launch of the company's jointly developed autonomous vertical lift aircraft.
Image source: Getty Images.
Flying high In a joint press release, Archer and Anduril unveiled a hybrid eVTOL with applications in both the commercial and defense sectors. The pair described it as "a new class of autonomous aircraft with the speed, range, payload, and operating cost that defense and commercial missions demand."
Anduril showcased the defense version, dubbed Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft. This group of aircraft are generally the largest and most capable of the Defense Department's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Thunder was built on a dual-use platform designed for both defense and commercial applications.
The vehicle was built from the ground up. What sets this aircraft apart is "a hybrid-electric powertrain enables the aircraft to achieve significant range and endurance, while still maintaining the necessary precision to closely optimize power through the full range of flight conditions." Furthermore, the dual-tilt rotors allow the vehicle to switch to cruise mode, reducing power and fuel consumption.
Archer Aviation plans to announce its first commercial customers for the aircraft later this week.
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Is the stock a buy? Investors in Archer Aviation have endured a bumpy ride since the company debuted five years ago. After failing to deliver on its promise, shareholders lost faith, and the stock has plunged 62% from its peak.
To be clear, Archer Aviation is a high-risk, high-reward investment with a binary outcome. If the eVTOL specialist can secure Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for its Midnight electric air taxi and prove it can manufacture its aircraft at scale, the stock could fly much higher. On the other hand, if it fails to live up to expectations, the high flyer could crash and burn.
Let the buyer beware.
Danny Vena, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Shares of Archer Aviation ACHR surged more than 18% on Monday after the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker unveiled a new autonomous aircraft platform developed jointly with defense technology company Anduril Industries, marking a major expansion beyond its core urban air mobility business.
The companies introduced a dual-use hybrid-electric vertical lift platform designed to serve both military and commercial customers, as eVTOL manufacturers increasingly seek new revenue streams amid slower-than-expected progress in the air taxi industry.
As part of the partnership, Anduril showcased the defense version of the platform, called Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft designed to enhance the capabilities of current and next-generation crewed military aircraft.
According to a joint statement, Thunder is based on a common aircraft platform jointly developed by Archer and Anduril.
"Together, the two companies have built what they believe to be a step change in vertical lift: a new class of autonomous aircraft with the speed, range, payload and operating cost that defense and commercial missions demand," the companies said.
The platform is intended to support a broad range of applications, including military strike missions, cargo transportation, remote logistics and operations from austere environments.
Archer said it plans to announce its first commercial partners for the aircraft later this week.
The announcement comes as developers of electric aircraft diversify into defense, logistics and cargo operations to offset certification delays, infrastructure challenges and high capital requirements that have clouded the outlook for urban air taxi services.
Unlike Archer's existing electric air taxi aircraft, the newly unveiled platform uses a series hybrid-electric propulsion system designed to deliver greater range and payload capacity.
The aircraft also incorporates tilt rotors capable of adjusting rotor speeds across different phases of flight, allowing it to perform a wider variety of missions than conventional battery-powered eVTOL aircraft.
Developers across the industry have increasingly shifted toward hybrid-electric systems as they attempt to overcome the limited range of fully electric aircraft and access larger commercial and defense markets.
The companies said they have already completed multiple test flights using full-scale surrogate aircraft to validate key systems, while Thunder's first flight is currently scheduled for 2027.
For Archer, the collaboration represents an important strategic move into defense and industrial applications at a time when the commercial air taxi market remains uncertain.
Urban air mobility was once viewed as a potential trillion-dollar opportunity, but certification timelines, infrastructure development and funding challenges have slowed the industry's commercial rollout.
Many eVTOL manufacturers are now pursuing defense contracts and cargo operations that could generate revenue sooner and require less extensive urban infrastructure.
Shane Arnott, senior vice president of Maneuver Dominance at Anduril, said adapting commercial aviation technology for military use could significantly improve operational capabilities.
"From raw performance to producibility, harnessing the best technologies from the commercial eVTOL market for defense is central to how Thunder will deliver operational value to our customers. The clean-sheet, dual-use platform that we've built with Archer truly represents a step change in capability," Arnott said.
Archer founder and CEO Adam Goldstein said the project required an entirely new aircraft rather than adapting the company's existing designs.
"This mission required a clean sheet design, built from the ground up to meet the needs of modern commercial and defense applications. We couldn't simply tweak our existing aircraft. Instead, we took a bold first principles approach alongside Anduril to develop what we believe is the most sophisticated vertical lift aircraft ever made," Goldstein said.
Monday's rally came despite mixed views from Wall Street on Archer's long-term prospects.
Weiss Ratings recently reaffirmed a "sell (D-)" rating on the stock, while Canaccord Genuity trimmed its price target to $12 from $13 but maintained a "buy" recommendation.
According to MarketBeat data, four analysts currently rate Archer Aviation as a Buy, two recommend Hold and one has a Sell rating, giving the stock an overall consensus rating of Hold with an average price target of $11.83.
The stock currently trades at $5.20, and has fallen 36% this year.
Archer Aviation (ACHR), the electric air taxi developer, rose 21.96% intraday after unveiling a jointly developed autonomous aircraft platform with defense tech
Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR | ACHR Price Prediction) shares are trading higher in Monday morning action, up 14% to $5.06. The move follows a joint reveal by the company and privately held defense technology firm Anduril of an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft platform at the Farnborough Airshow.
The pop lands into a rough tape. Archer stock entered Monday down 41% year to date (YTD), part of a broader pre-revenue eVTOL de-rating that has hit the entire cohort of listed operators hard.
Peers Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY) and EHang Holdings (NASDAQ:EH) are quieter but still higher. Joby stock is up 2% to $7.41, while EHang stock is up 1% at $5.17. The news catalyst belongs to Archer alone, though.
Anduril Team-Up Unveils “Thunder” Autonomous VTOL Archer and Anduril presented a series hybrid-electric autonomous VTOL aircraft platform at Farnborough. Anduril debuted the defense variant, “Thunder,” a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft designed to fly alongside crewed attack and assault aircraft. Group 5 is the Pentagon’s heaviest unmanned aircraft tier, the same weight class as major program-of-record platforms.
The dual-use design uses dual tiltrotors, offers runway-independent VTOL, and cruises efficiently on the wing. The teams have completed multiple full-scale surrogate test flights, with Thunder’s first flight targeted for 2027. Archer says it will announce its first commercial customers for the platform later this week.
Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein called Thunder a clean-sheet, first-principles design. In prior commentary tied to the program, Goldstein asserted, “I believe our hybrid aircraft is the most sophisticated vertical lift platform ever developed. It is not incremental, it is generational.”
The autonomy stack behind the aircraft leans on NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR). Archer has integrated NVIDIA’s IGX Thor platform for onboard compute and autonomy-ready flight systems, while Palantir was down-selected as a finalist for the FAA’s SMART AI project covering air traffic control modernization. Starlink LEO connectivity rounds out the connectivity layer for the Midnight air taxi.
Archer’s Q1 2026 report framed the setup. The company posted revenue of $1.6 million and a net loss of $217.7 million, versus a $93.4 million loss a year earlier, with liquidity near $1.8 billion. Goldstein described Archer as a “multi-threat company” targeting air taxi launch, phased government awards, and AI software deployments later this year.
Archer’s Peers Move Slightly on the News Joby Aviation and EHang have their own defense and autonomy narratives, but no fresh catalyst hit either name on Monday. Joby holds a defense partnership with L3Harris Technologies and recently flew a hybrid turbine-electric autonomous VTOL demonstrator, with first passenger service in Dubai still planned for later this year.
Joby stock is down 45% YTD and EHang stock is down 62% YTD. EHang delivered only four EH216 units in Q1 2026 versus 66 in Q4 2025. None of the three companies are profitable on a trailing basis, and none carry meaningful trailing P/E ratios.
That framing keeps this trio in venture-style bet territory, where each ticker reprices on idiosyncratic news rather than as a coordinated basket. On Monday, Archer is the only one with a headline, and the price action reflects this.
What to Watch Now The near-term marker for Archer is the first commercial customer announcements for the Thunder platform expected later this week. Traders may want to watch for whether those disclosures come with firm order economics or read closer to letters of intent.
Beyond that, Archer is advancing Phase 4 compliance testing under the FAA’s Type Certification process and targeting the start of U.S. commercial air taxi operations later in 2026. Archer has also been named Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Olympic Games and selected in three winning eIPP applications covering eight states, adding a run of visible milestones into the next 18 months.
Today’s move matters because it broadens Archer’s story from a piloted air taxi bet into a dual-use defense platform play, with a credible defense prime attached. It doesn’t fix the cash burn or the pre-revenue reality, and Thunder’s first flight is still a 2027 event. Investors evaluating their exposure here can size their positions accordingly, keeping ACHR stock in a smaller, more speculative portion of a portfolio and watching for whether Monday’s gain holds into the close.
Electric air taxis could soon start packing some serious firepower.
Archer Aviation has teamed up with Anduril Industries, the military technology startup cofounded by Palmer Luckey, to create what the companies describe as a “Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft.”
The jointly developed aircraft, called “Thunder,” is a hybrid-electric vehicle “designed to multiply the combat power of current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft,” the companies said Monday. The vehicle is intended for both defense and commercial use cases.
The initial list of commercial customers is expected to be announced by Archer later this week, with its first flight planned for next year.
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Thunder was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England, and effectively may allow Archer to tap into the defense market at a time when battlefield technology is rapidly evolving.
Shares of Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) were up more than 10% on the news.
The commercial variant of Anduril and Archer’s jointly developed aircraft platform. [Image: Archer Aviation]“Clean sheet design”It’s the latest in a series of developments within the electric air taxi industry in recent years. Archer, for example, has made headlines by becoming the official air taxi provider for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein said the company is laser-focused on getting its air taxis certified and flying by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
"It's always been an ambitious goal," he told CNBC's Phil LeBeau on Monday at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K. "It's still an ambitious goal, but we're certainly going to try our hardest to get there."
Archer on Monday unveiled its Thunder autonomous vertical takeoff and landing defense craft with Anduril, designed to accompany crewed aircraft and helicopters. The companies first joined forces in 2024.
Shares rallied more than 20%.
Archer is widely known for creating electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft aimed at cutting emissions and traffic in crowded urban areas. However, the technology has faced a series of regulatory and infrastructure hurdles that have pushed back certification timelines.
In recent months, Archer and its peers have benefitted from President Donald Trump's latest eVTOL pilot program aimed at accelerating deployment, with testing across 26 states.
"This is really critical to gaining the trust of the public and the trust of the regulators that will ultimately lead to our certification," Goldstein told CNBC. "That step is going to be hugely critical in order to allow us to meet those timelines."
Read more CNBC tech newsElon Musk's Memphis AI empire is the epicenter of the data center backlashChinese startup Moonshot AI unveils Kimi model it says rivals OpenAI, AnthropicSpaceX stock falls after Starship test flight abortedMicrosoft's Nadella criticizes Anthropic's Fable for being 'editorially controlled'Archer and its peers have also steadily expanded their defense portfolios as the U.S. military invests in new technology on the battlefield and adds more artificial intelligence tools.
Goldstein called defense applications a "huge market" for Archer amid rising geopolitical tensions abroad. The aircraft also doesn't require the same certification process necessary for commercial use cases, he added.
"The applications we can bring in the defense world are quite impressive and very much needed for the warfighter," he said.
Thunder combines electric propulsion and rotor design to boost speed, range, and payload. Archer plans to name its first commercial partners for the platform later this week.
Thunder Targets Commercial and Defense MissionsACHR Stock Price Activity: Archer Aviation shares were up 5.18% at $4.67 during premarket trading Monday, according to Benzinga Pro.
Other Companies Move on Stakes, Deliveries and EarningsImage: Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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FARNBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ACHR #Archer--Anduril and Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) today unveiled their jointly-developed autonomous VTOL aircraft platform, built to serve both defense and commercial applications. Anduril showcased the defense variant, Thunder, a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft specifically designed to multiply the combat power of current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft. Together, the two companies have built what they believe to be a step change in ver.
Item 1 of 2 An Anduril Industries logo is seen at the 55th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
[1/2]An Anduril Industries logo is seen at the 55th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CompaniesFARNBOROUGH, England, July 20 (Reuters) - Archer Aviation (ACHR.N), opens new tab and defense technology company Anduril unveiled a co-developed autonomous aircraft platform on Monday, as aerospace startups increasingly tap partnerships that can lower development costs and speed up commercialisation.
The platform, developed together under a 2024 deal, is designed for both commercial and military applications.
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Anduril introduced the defense variant, called Thunder, on Monday at the Farnborough Airshow. It's a Group 5 autonomous attack rotorcraft intended to fly alongside current and next-generation crewed attack and assault aircraft.
Archer CEO Adam Goldman told Reuters the company built a very specific aircraft rather than retrofit an existing aircraft.
"Andruil has done a very good job of identifying needs and then building ahead of those needs before programs ever get announced... They identified a need, and we built a very specific aircraft for that need," Goldman said.
"When you want to look at a product that can have large-scale use on the defense side, they typically will need to be built and designed and catered towards that very specific customer and use case."
Archer, best known for developing electric air taxis, plans to unveil its commercial variant and announce the platform's first commercial customers later this week, the companies said.
Developers of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft have been looking to expand beyond urban air taxi services, once touted as a trillion-dollar market, as certification delays, infrastructure hurdles and steep capital requirements weigh on the sector.
The Thunder is aimed at "anyone who operates Apache, anyone who operates armed reconnaissance helicopters,” said Shane Arnott, Anduril Industries’ senior vice president of programs & engineering.
Air taxi companies are also increasingly turning to hybrid-electric propulsion to extend range and improve mission flexibility beyond short urban hops, hoping to tap broader markets and cut losses.
The Archer-Anduril platform uses a series hybrid-electric powertrain and tilt rotors designed to vary rotor speed across flight conditions, with capabilities to support missions including military strikes, cargo movement, remote logistics and other operations from austere locations, the companies said.
For Archer, the partnership offers a path into defense and heavier-duty commercial markets while the outlook for the air-taxi market looks cloudy.
The companies have completed multiple test flights using full-scale surrogate aircraft, a step toward validating key systems. Thunder's first flight is planned for 2027.
Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary, David Shepardson and Cassell Bryan-Low in Farnborough, England; Editing by Sharon Singleton
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
Shivansh reports on major aerospace, aviation, and industrial companies in the United States. A journalism graduate from Christ University in Bangalore, he specializes in breaking news and quarterly earnings reports for the country’s largest airlines and machinery manufacturers. His work is often featured in Reuters’ Aerospace & Defense and Autos & Transportation sections.
Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) companies Archer Aviation (ACHR 1.11%) and Beta Technologies (BETA +0.68%) just announced they are partnering with Macquarie Capital to bring standardized eVTOL charging hardware to as many as 250 air taxi sites across the U.S.
The companies dubbed the initiative America’s Consortium for Electric Skyways (ACES). They touted their charging standard as having been endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and “adopted almost uniformly across the industry.”
“Almost uniformly?” That’s right: there’s one major player in the U.S. eVTOL space that doesn’t conform to this standard. And, unsurprisingly, it's Archer’s big rival Joby Aviation (JOBY 0.89%).
Here’s what this new charging network is likely to mean for Archer, Beta, Joby, and their shareholders.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
A new standardThe Combined Charging Standard (CCS) for electric vehicles is a particular type of plug that allows a vehicle to charge using alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). It was once the standard for electric vehicle charging in the U.S., but is now being phased out in favor of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug, developed by Tesla (TSLA 2.47%) for use in its Supercharger system.
However, the global aviation consortium GAMA still supports the CCS standard for electric aircraft, believing that having a standardized plug is preferable to having different manufacturers each developing their own non-interoperable plugs.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Joby had to do.
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Square plug, round holeDespite being a GAMA associate member, Joby didn’t design its eVTOLs to work with CCS plugs. Instead, it developed its own standard, the Global Electric Aviation Charging System (GEACS). In 2023, it made the GEACS specifications freely available to other companies in the industry.
There were two good reasons for Joby not to use CCS chargers. The first was that it designed its aircraft with distributed battery packs to provide redundancy for added safety. The GEACS system contains multiple DC channels, allowing for simultaneous charging of multiple battery packs. Archer’s and Beta’s systems concentrate their battery packs in a single location, so they don’t need this extra feature.
Image source: Joby Aviation.
The second reason is that Joby’s GEACS includes a coolant exchange system, providing an additional mechanism to prevent the batteries from overheating during charging, which could reduce their lifespan. Archer utilizes an onboard thermal management system made by Honeywell International (HON 0.58%) that, in theory, keeps the batteries from overheating. Meanwhile, Beta uses a separate device called a Thermal Management System Cube to cycle coolant through the batteries during recharging.
You snooze, you loseIt’s not surprising that Archer and Beta – which are also both GAMA associate members – would agree to join forces to deploy a type of charger with a plug that their aircraft can use but which their major rival’s cannot.
It also makes sense that Archer and Beta would try to get a head start on deploying their preferred chargers at airports likely to offer eVTOL air taxi service. According to an Archer press release, up to 250 deployments will occur over the next decade at locations “including airports and vertiports in California, Texas, Florida, and New York.”
Would an airport that had already installed Beta’s CCS chargers actually prevent Joby eVTOLs from operating there due to a lack of charging infrastructure? It seems doubtful, but it might cause some headaches for Joby down the road. And of course, there’s no love lost between Archer and Joby at this point.
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The takeawayAll the charging infrastructure in the world doesn’t matter if you don’t have an aircraft to charge. If Joby can get U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its eVTOLs to operate before Archer can, it’ll probably be able to dictate its own charging infrastructure installation to airports where it’s providing service. The same is true for Archer if it can beat Joby to the punch.
While the collaboration between Archer and Beta to shut out Joby is a smart move for those two companies, in the long run, it’s going to be FAA approval and then the profitability of their business models that determine whether Archer, Beta, and Joby succeed or fail. Not their charging apparatus.
The air-taxi trade has come undone this year, it seems. Shares of Joby Aviation (NYSE:JOBY | JOBY Price Prediction), Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR), and EHang Holdings (NASDAQ:EH) have all slid sharply this year, with drawdowns spanning 40% to over 60%. The question for investors is whether the group is damaged beyond repair or simply oversold.
As of Friday, July 17, Joby stock is down 45% year to date (YTD), Archer stock is down 40%, and EHang stock is down 62%. The pain is fresh, not just a January flush; over the past month, Joby shares fell 22%, Archer shares dropped 16%, and EHang shares slid 28%.
None of the three names are profitable on a trailing 12-month basis. All are still burning cash to fund flight testing, regulatory certification, and manufacturing scale-up while commercial revenue remains modest. Market values are already spread wide: Joby carries a $7.2 billion market cap, Archer $3.47 billion, and EHang just $288 million.
The Why Behind the De-rating No single headline is driving this move. The market has repriced the entire pre-revenue electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cohort as risk appetite for speculative growth thinned out. Long FAA and EASA certification runways, dilution risk from repeated equity raises, and persistent operating losses have made these stocks harder to hold.
The numbers make the bear case for themselves. Joby reported a Q4 2025 operating loss of $206.78 million and R&D of $161.26 million, alongside FY 2026 revenue guidance of $105 million to $115 million. Archer’s Q1 2026 net loss widened to $217.7 million from $93.4 million year over year (YoY) on revenue of just $1.6 million. Meanwhile, EHang delivered four EH216 aircraft in Q1 2026, versus 66 in Q4 2025, and revenue collapsed to $3.79 million against a $132.96 million estimate.
Where Each Name Stands Joby is the best-capitalized of the three. The company ended Q4 2025 with $1.41 billion in cash and added roughly $1.2 billion in equity and convertible debt in February. Partnerships with Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER), Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM), and L3Harris Technologies give the story reach. Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt has framed 2026 as “a key inflection point” ahead of first passenger service in Dubai.
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Archer sits on roughly $1.8 billion in liquidity and is the first eVTOL company to close Phase 3 of the FAA’s four-phase Type Certification. It’s the Official Air Taxi Provider of the LA28 Olympic Games and has layered in partnerships with NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR), and privately held Anduril. However, several C-suite executives sold Archer stock in May to cover restricted stock unit tax obligations, adding to the negative optics.
EHang is the smallest and, possibly, the most fragile of the three companies mentioned here. EHang’s cash and equivalents have fallen to $23.66 million, and Q1 deliveries collapsed after a record Q4 that included the company’s first GAAP profitable quarter. Yet, EHang still holds the world’s first full suite of airworthiness certifications for a pilotless human-carrying eVTOL, and the board approved a $30 million buyback in June, plus expansion flights in Thailand, Mexico, and Rwanda.
What to Watch Now The bull case isn’t dead for these stocks. Sell-side analysts still carry a median Joby stock price target of $11.01, implying 52% upside from current levels, with a split of 3 buys, 5 holds, and 3 sells. The order books remain intact, certification progress is real, and the White House eVTOL Integration Pilot Program provides a modest policy tailwind for the U.S. names.
The bear case is simpler, though. Without visible revenue ramps, more dilution is likely, and each quarter of delay compresses the equity story. Investors should consider keeping their position sizes modest and treating these as venture-style bets within a diversified portfolio.
Traders can watch for whether Joby launches in Dubai, whether Archer begins U.S. commercial operations later this year as management has guided, and whether EHang’s back-loaded 2026 delivery schedule actually materializes. Those three catalysts, along with macro-level headlines, may decide whether the group is oversold or destined for further declines.
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Archer Aviation (ACHR 6.38%) recently slipped below $5, extending a decline that has surprised many investors. Yet the sell-off doesn't appear to reflect a sudden deterioration in the company's business.
Instead, it reflects something more subtle. The market is changing how it evaluates Archer.
A year ago, investors mainly cared about the company's vision. Flying taxis promised to transform urban transportation. Archer had secured partnerships with companies such as Stellantis and United Airlines, and each certification milestone reinforced the belief that commercialization was approaching.
Today, that narrative isn't enough. Investors are no longer asking whether flying taxis could become a major industry. They're asking a much tougher question: Can Archer build a profitable business before it runs out of time -- or capital?
Image source: Getty Images.
Commercialization has become the biggest test For years, Archer measured success through milestones:
Prototype flights Manufacturing progress Strategic partnerships Regulatory approvals Each announcement reduced uncertainty and helped investors believe the company was moving in the right direction. But as Archer approaches its goal of launching commercial operations in 2026, those milestones no longer carry the same weight. Investors now want evidence that the business itself is nearing takeoff.
Launching an air taxi service involves far more than building an aircraft. Archer must complete Federal Aviation Administration certification, prepare pilots, establish operating procedures, deploy supporting infrastructure, and convince customers to choose flying taxis over existing forms of transport.
Even then, another challenge begins. Can the business generate enough demand to operate profitably? Can aircraft fly frequently enough to justify their cost? Can the company eventually earn attractive returns after maintenance, staffing, insurance, and infrastructure expenses?
These are the questions investors are beginning to ask, and none has a satisfactory answer today. That's why each quarter without meaningful commercial revenue matters more than the one before it. The closer Archer gets to commercialization, the less investors value promises and the more they expect measurable progress.
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Cash burn isn't the biggest concern anymore. Dilution is. Ironically, Archer's biggest financial strength has created a new investor concern.
During the past two years, the company has raised substantial capital and built one of the strongest balance sheets in the electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry. That gives management valuable time to complete certification and prepare for launch. For perspective, the company ended March 31 with $1.8 billion in liquidity.
Few investors now question whether Archer can survive.
Instead, they question how much of the company today's shareholders will still own by the time it succeeds.
Archer continues to invest heavily in engineering, certification, manufacturing capacity, and commercial preparation. Those investments are necessary, but they also mean the company is likely to remain cash-flow-negative for several more years. In 2025 alone, the company consumed $433 million in operating cash flow.
If commercialization takes longer than expected -- or scaling proves more expensive than planned -- raising additional capital may become necessary. That's where dilution becomes a real risk.
Every new share issued helps fund the business, but it also reduces the ownership stake of existing shareholders. Even if Archer ultimately succeeds, repeated equity issuance could reduce the returns investors earn.
For a company that remains years away from profitability, that's an important risk to consider.
What does it mean for investors? Nothing in Archer's recent progress suggests the long-term vision has fallen apart. The company continues to progress through certification, expand manufacturing capabilities, and prepare for a commercial launch in the U.S. in 2026. Those remain meaningful achievements.
What has changed is the market's willingness to pay for future potential. Investors now want evidence that Archer can convert technological progress into commercial success -- and eventually into sustainable profits.
That means another partnership announcement or another successful test flight won't define the next chapter. It will be defined by execution.
Can Archer launch commercial operations on schedule? Can it generate meaningful revenue? Can it reach that point without excessive shareholder dilution?
Those are the questions that will likely determine where the stock goes next.
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ACHR #Archer--Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), BETA Technologies (NYSE: BETA) and Macquarie Capital today announced America's Consortium for Electric Skyways (ACES), a plan to electrify up to 250 air taxi sites across the United States. In the coming decade, the consortium will build the standardized charging foundation required to scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) commercial operations in and around major metropolitan areas, including airports and vertiports in Ca.
Key Takeaways Archer Aviation is expanding supplier partnerships to support future eVTOL production and commercialization.ACHR is sourcing propulsion, avionics, batteries and key components to strengthen supply-chain resilience.Archer Aviation combines internal assembly with supplier expertise to support scalable manufacturing growth. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) continues strengthening its supplier ecosystem to support the planned production and commercialization of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company is collaborating with experienced aerospace and automotive suppliers to secure critical systems, components and manufacturing expertise that facilitate aircraft development and future production. These partnerships are intended to improve manufacturing readiness while supporting a scalable production model.
Building a reliable supplier network is becoming increasingly important as the eVTOL industry moves toward commercial production. Archer continues working with suppliers across propulsion systems, avionics, batteries and other key aircraft components to enhance supply-chain resilience and bolster future manufacturing requirements. Leveraging established suppliers also helps streamline production planning while maintaining high quality and safety standards.
The company's supplier strategy complements its broader manufacturing objectives by combining internal assembly capabilities with specialized external expertise. This approach allows Archer to focus on aircraft integration and production while benefiting from the experience and manufacturing capabilities of established aerospace suppliers. As production volumes increase, a diversified supplier base is expected to enhance operational flexibility and execution.
As the commercial eVTOL market continues to develop, supply-chain execution will remain a critical factor for successful aircraft production. Archer's continued focus on building strategic supplier relationships positions the company to support future manufacturing growth while fortifying its long-term competitive position.
Companies Expanding Aircraft Supply-Chain CapabilitiesAs the advanced air mobility industry evolves, companies continue expanding supplier relationships to support future aircraft production and commercialization. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and EHang Holdings (EH - Free Report) are also strengthening supply-chain capabilities through strategic manufacturing partnerships and component sourcing.
Joby Aviation continues collaborating with established aerospace and automotive suppliers to boost aircraft production, certification and future commercial manufacturing.
EHang continues strengthening its supply chain through partnerships with manufacturing and technology providers that support the production and commercialization of its autonomous aerial vehicles.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Is Trading at a DiscountArcher is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.77X compared with the industry average of 5.93X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past month, ACHR shares have fallen 10.8% compared with the industry’s 3.5% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
SILICON VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ACHR #Archer--Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) today announced Zee, what it believes to be the world's leading aviation-specific foundational model that delivers a unified aviation intelligence platform built on ADS-B, ATC communication, maps and charts, aircraft state, terrain and weather data. Zee is trained on real-world operational data, aggregated through Archer's proprietary data pipeline and a global network of over 6,000 ADS-B receivers. “We are building an i.
Archer Aviation (ACHR 2.47%) has made meaningful progress over the past year. The company is advancing toward FAA certification, building out manufacturing capacity, and still expects to begin commercial operations in 2026. But there are still challenges.
Archer's biggest challenge at the moment is that it still generates very little revenue. During the first quarter of 2026, the company clocked just $1.6 million in sales while posting an adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) loss of $172.5 million. Management expects another adjusted EBITDA loss of $170 million to $200 million in the second quarter.
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To be sure, those losses aren't surprising for a pre-commercial aerospace company. It's actually to be expected. The problem is that commercialization is proving slower and more expensive than many expected, and some investors are starting to grow impatient.
Fortunately, Archer ended the first quarter with approximately $1.8 billion in liquidity, giving it one of the stronger balance sheets in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry. But Wall Street expects the company to burn roughly $600 million this year and another $740 million in 2027 before free cash flow potentially turns positive later in the decade. Indeed, this is the kind of thing that can frustrate already-impatient shareholders, even if the company does boast a rather large war chest.
Certify this! Every milestone Archer achieves still depends on regulatory approval, too. And until the FAA certifies the Midnight aircraft (the company's all-electric air taxi), the company cannot begin large-scale commercial operations in the United States. Even if certification arrives on schedule, Archer Aviation still has to ramp up manufacturing, expand charging infrastructure, train pilots, and prove there is enough customer demand to support its business model.
Meanwhile, competition is not going gently into that good night. Rival Joby Aviation continues to make progress toward commercialization, while a handful of other aerospace companies and start-ups are pursuing the same urban air mobility market. And while Archer benefits from partnerships with some major players, including Stellantis and United Airlines, the commercial eVTOL industry remains largely unproven.
Of course, none of this means Archer is destined to fail. In fact, the company has arguably become one of the industry's strongest players. Its manufacturing partnership with Stellantis, sizable cash position, and continued certification progress give it advantages that many of its competitors lack.
Image source: Getty Images.
Even so, price matters. And today, investors are still paying for a business that has yet to generate meaningful commercial revenue and will likely continue consuming hundreds of millions of dollars before becoming self-sustaining. That's a risky combination, particularly if certification timelines slip or commercialization takes longer than expected.
Ultimately, this is not a stock I would rush out to buy, even after it's lost more than 60% of its value over the past year and trades at what some believe to be attractive levels. The truth is, until Archer demonstrates that it can transition from a development-stage company into a profitable commercial aircraft manufacturer, I'd remain on the sidelines.
And if you already own the stock, you have to decide whether it's worth sticking it out for another year or two and hoping for the best instead of allocating that capital to much more attractive investment opportunities with far less risk and far more upside potential.
Key Takeaways Archer holds diversified cash and short-term investments to support growth and preserve liquidity.ACHR's investment strategy balances capital preservation with funding for certification and expansion.Archer trades at a discount to the industry while maintaining financial flexibility for commercialization. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) is strengthening its financial position by actively managing its liquidity through a diversified portfolio of cash equivalents and short-term investments. As of March 31, 2026, the company held $790.2 million in money market funds, $601.3 million in U.S. Treasury securities and $223.5 million in corporate debt securities. Maintaining a substantial portion of liquidity in highly rated, short-term instruments helps preserve capital while ensuring funds remain readily available to support aircraft development, certification and future commercialization.
A disciplined investment strategy provides Archer with greater financial flexibility as it advances its long-term growth plans. By allocating excess liquidity to high-quality marketable securities, the company can earn investment income while maintaining access to capital for operational requirements. This approach supports efficient capital management without compromising the financial resources needed to execute strategic priorities.
The company's investment portfolio complements its broader financial strategy by balancing liquidity, capital preservation and operational readiness. Strong financial flexibility allows Archer to continue funding engineering activities, manufacturing expansion and commercial launch preparations while reducing dependence on external financing during market volatility.
As electric aircraft developers continue investing heavily in commercialization, effective liquidity management remains an important competitive advantage. Archer's disciplined approach to managing its investment portfolio strengthens its ability to support future growth while maintaining financial flexibility.
Companies Managing Strategic Investment PortfoliosAerospace companies continue investing excess liquidity in high-quality, short-term securities to preserve capital and maintain financial flexibility. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB - Free Report) follow similar capital allocation strategies.
Joby Aviation held $850.6 million in money market funds and $1.15 billion in government debt securities as of March 31, 2026, providing financial flexibility for aircraft development, certification and commercialization.
Rocket Lab held $1.10 billion in money market accounts and $65.5 million in U.S. Treasury securities as of March 31, 2026, offering financial flexibility to fund launch services, spacecraft development and future growth.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Is Trading at a DiscountArcher is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.8X compared with the industry average of 6.23X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past three months, ACHR shares have fallen 6.8% compared with the industry’s 1% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Investors have waited for Archer Aviation (ACHR 8.29%) to live up to its potential since the stock began trading in 2021. The wait has taken a toll on Archer Aviation, which currently trades more than 60% below its all-time high. But much has changed since years ago, when the stock represented an idea more than an actual business.
Archer Aviation has spent years designing and testing its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It's finally nearing the end of the regulatory approval process and could begin its initial U.S. operations later this year as part of the White House's eVTOL Pilot Integration Program. Here's why the stock's steep decline is actually good news for long-term investors.
The eVTOL market might not be very large right away The eVTOL market has promise, but this looks like a niche market right now. Broadly speaking, eVTOL aircraft, including Aviation's Midnight, specialize in short trips with fast turnaround times and have very limited seating and cargo capacity. Midnight seats only four passengers and a pilot. The aircraft from Archer Aviation and other eVTOL companies will initially serve as electric air taxis in major cities or be used for military applications.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
Archer Aviation has gotten its foot in the door with a military contract for up to six eVTOL aircraft. It has several commercial partnerships, including strategic support and financial backing from United Airlines and Stellantis. Still, the pie probably won't be very large for quite some time. Management consulting firm Marketsandmarkets estimates the global eVTOL industry will grow to roughly $5 billion by 2035.
The stock is still small enough to deliver solid investment returns When investing in stocks of companies with little or no revenue, you don't want a bunch of hype and excitement that raises the market cap -- especially here, where the initial market opportunity might be small. Archer Aviation is just starting to commercialize its business, with only $1.9 million in trailing-12-month sales. Even after the stock's 61% decline, the current market cap of $4 billion seems like quite a lot to pay.
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It's still better than investing in Archer Aviation when it's worth $7 billion or more, which is why this decline is good news for long-term investors. Suppose Archer Aviation takes 20% of the market by 2035, putting revenue at $1 billion. Depending on how Wall Street values the stock, there's at least a realistic path to investment returns that Archer Aviation's business results can sustain from the current market cap.
Who knows what might happen? Maybe Archer Aviation or the eVTOL market grows faster than that, or the company lands a bigger military contract. This uncertainty is what makes stocks like Archer Aviation risky but fun, and maybe even lucrative if you invest responsibly.
Just remember, the higher the valuation you pay, the less likely the stock is to overcome it and reward your investment. So celebrate Archer Aviation's declining share price, and, if you believe in the business, root for opportunities to buy it even lower.
Archer Aviation (ACHR +7.73%) stock got hit with a huge pullback last month. The company's share price fell 30.5% over the period, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 declined 1.1% in June, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.8%.
While there was little in the way of fresh, business-specific news driving the pullback, the stock saw a massive valuation decline as investors moved out of speculative growth stocks. As of this writing, the stock is now down roughly 47% over the last year.
Image source: Getty Images.
Archer Aviation stock got crushed in June despite little news June was a slow news month for Archer Aviation, which makes the stock's huge valuation decline in the month somewhat surprising. On the other hand, there were some macroeconomic catalysts that explain the big pullback.
For starters, investors broadly became more convinced that a move from the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates probably isn't coming any time soon -- and more concerned that the Fed could move to hike rates. The U.S. central banking authority uses rate increases to combat inflation, and accelerating inflation connected to rising energy prices due to the Iran war had investors worried last month that rate increases could arrive this year. That could be trouble for Archer stock.
Even after big sell-offs, Archer Aviation has a market capitalization of roughly $4.1 billion. Meanwhile, the company is valued at approximately 430 times this year's expected sales. Highly growth-dependent stocks tend to perform much better in low-interest rate environments, and they can get hit with huge pullbacks when rates start to rise.
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Archer has regained some ground early in July Archer Aviation stock has seen bullish momentum early in July's trading, with the stock up more than 9% in the month as of this writing. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 is up 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite is up roughly 0.3%.
In addition to bullish support for the broader market, Archer stock has climbed higher in conjunction with electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) industry news. On June 30, Joby Aviation announced that it had entered a new joint venture with Toyota to advance manufacturing capabilities for eVTOL aircraft.
While Joby is arguably Archer's biggest competitor, investors appear to view the new partnership as a positive indicator for the broader eVTOL industry. Archer has a similar partnership with Stellantis, and the team-up between Joby and Toyota seems to have investors feeling more bullish about auto manufacturers helping leading eVTOL players eventually reach profitability.
Key Takeaways ACHR is advancing FAA certifications to support future aircraft production and commercial operations.ACHR is expanding urban air mobility infrastructure to support future air taxi networks.ACHR strengthens production readiness through facilities in Silicon Valley and Georgia. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) shares have declined 13.1% over the past month, underperforming the Zacks Aerospace-Defense industry’s rise of 9%. However, the company is building long-term growth through regulatory preparedness, expanding urban air mobility infrastructure and production readiness. Continued investment in proprietary technologies strengthens its commercialization strategy.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Some stocks from the same industry, such as Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII - Free Report) and Redwire Corporation (RDW - Free Report) , have also underperformed the industry. Over the past month, HII and RDW have declined 0.3% and 39.1%, respectively.
With ACHR shares falling over the past month, investors may hold varied perspectives. Let’s examine the factors and assess the stock’s investment prospects to make an informed decision.
Factors Supporting ACHR Stock's GrowthArcher Aviation continues to advance its commercial readiness by strengthening the regulatory and operational foundation required for future passenger services. The company already holds Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) Part 135 Air Carrier, Part 145 Repair Station and Part 141 Pilot School certificates, enabling commercial flight operations, aircraft maintenance and pilot training activities. ACHR is also progressing toward an FAA Production Certificate, which will allow it to manufacture Midnight aircraft that conform to approved type designs, supporting the transition from certification to commercial deliveries.
The company is also expanding its long-term addressable market by developing integrated urban air mobility networks in collaboration with infrastructure providers and local stakeholders. Archer Aviation is working to establish vertiport infrastructure and operational ecosystems that connect major population centers with transportation hubs while supporting future air taxi services. This broader network strategy is intended to improve customer adoption and create recurring opportunities beyond aircraft sales.
Archer Aviation is differentiating itself through continued investment in proprietary technologies and manufacturing capabilities. The company is internally developing key systems such as electric propulsion, flight-control software and composite structures while leveraging certified components from established aerospace suppliers to reduce development risk. Archer Aviation is scaling production of its aircraft and electric powertrain at its "golden manufacturing lines" in Silicon Valley and its high-volume facility in Georgia to support certification and early commercial deployments, enhancing production readiness as commercialization progresses.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACHR’s 2026 earnings per share (EPS) indicates an increase of 0.97% over the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Huntington Ingalls’ 2026 EPS calls for a rise of 0.12% in the past 60 days. The estimate for Redwire’s 2026 EPS implies a decline of 62% over the same period.
Debt Position of ACHRCurrently, Archer Aviation’s total debt to capital is 3.65%, lower than the industry’s average of 47.1%. It indicates that the company can run its business efficiently with much lower debt levels than its industry peers.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Liquidity PositionArcher Aviation has a current ratio of 18.06 compared with its industry’s average of 1.12. The ratio, being more than one, indicates that ACHR possesses sufficient capital to pay off its short-term debt obligations.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Huntington Ingalls and Redwire also maintain current ratios above one. HII has a current ratio of 1.19, while RDW holds 1.75.
ACHR Stock Trades at a DiscountArcher Aviation is currently trading at 1.82X, a discount compared to its industry’s 6.47X on a trailing 12-month Price/Book basis.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Should Investors Do Now?Archer Aviation is strengthening its commercial foundation through regulatory preparedness, expanding urban air mobility infrastructure and growing production capabilities, supporting its long-term commercialization strategy. The company's investments in proprietary technologies, manufacturing readiness and expanding operational capabilities are expected to enhance its long-term growth prospects.
Given ACHR's favorable earnings estimate outlook, discounted valuation, lower debt levels and solid liquidity position, investors may consider including this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock in their portfolios at current levels. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Key Takeaways ACHR expands flight testing to validate aircraft systems and support regulatory certification.ACHR advances Midnight certification through compliance, testing and system validation activities.ACHR certification progress supports future aircraft deliveries and commercial deployment plans. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) continues prioritizing safety as it advances the development of its Midnight electric aircraft. The company is designing the aircraft with multiple layers of redundancy across flight-critical systems, helping enhance operational reliability while supporting certification and future commercial operations. This safety-focused approach is expected to strengthen Archer's position in the emerging electric aircraft market.
Redundant aircraft systems play an important role in next-generation aviation by helping maintain safe operations in the event of individual component failures. Archer's Midnight aircraft incorporates redundancy across key flight systems, including propulsion, power and flight-control architecture. These design features are intended to improve overall system reliability while supporting compliance with stringent aviation safety standards.
The company's emphasis on safety also complements its broader aircraft development strategy. By integrating redundant systems into the aircraft from the design stage, Archer aims to strengthen operational resilience while enhancing future passenger confidence and commercial adoption. This approach positions ACHR to meet evolving regulatory and customer expectations as electric aircraft enter commercial service.
As the electric aircraft industry continues to mature, safety-focused design is expected to remain a key competitive differentiator. Archer's continued investment in redundant aircraft architecture strengthens its long-term growth prospects while supporting the commercialization of its Midnight platform.
Companies Advancing Safety-Focused Aircraft DesignElectric aircraft developers continue strengthening aircraft safety through redundant flight-critical systems and resilient vehicle architectures. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and Vertical Aerospace Ltd. (EVTL - Free Report) are also advancing capabilities in this area.
Joby Aviation is developing its electric aircraft with multiple redundant flight-critical systems designed to support safe, reliable and certifiable commercial operations.
Vertical Aerospace is incorporating redundant propulsion, power and flight-control systems into its electric aircraft to enhance operational reliability and support aircraft certification.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Is Trading at a DiscountArcher is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.82X compared with the industry average of 6.31X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past three months, ACHR shares have fallen 10.1% against the industry’s 1.2% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Archer Aviation (ACHR +1.07%), an early mover in the nascent market for electric vertical takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft, set a record high of $17.14 per share on Feb. 18, 2021. Today, it trades at less than $5. Is it time to sound the alarm on this fallen stock?
Why did Archer Aviation's stock crash? Before Archer went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), it claimed it could produce 10 eVTOLs in 2024 and 250 eVTOLs in 2025. But as of this writing, it has only manufactured two test aircraft and one full-scale Midnight aircraft.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
The Midnight can carry a single pilot and four passengers, travel up to 100 miles, and reach a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour. However, it has a lower top speed and a shorter range than Joby Aviation's (JOBY +3.36%) S4 eVTOL. Joby is also further along in the FAA certification process for its U.S. commercial flights than Archer.
Those setbacks -- along with its lack of meaningful revenue, steep losses, and high valuation -- make Archer a less appealing eVTOL stock than Joby. However, Archer's indicative (non-committal) backlog still swelled to $6 billion at the end of 2025 with pending orders for roughly 1,200 aircraft. Its biggest investor, Stellantis, still plans to help the company ramp up its production after the FAA fully certifies its first commercial flights.
Archer's early customers include United Airlines and Abu Dhabi Aviation, which will use the Midnight for last-mile "airport to home" air taxi flights, and Andruil, which has been co-developing a hybrid eVTOL defense aircraft with the company. Archer believes it can eventually produce 650 aircraft annually with Stellantis after the FAA greenlights its first flights.
Unlike Joby, which will mainly sell its own first-party eVTOLs, Archer plans to produce eVTOLs for third-party customers. Both companies will launch their own first-party air taxi services, but Uber will directly integrate Joby's flights into its Uber Air platform.
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It's too early to sound the alarm Archer's progress is sluggish, and it has clear disadvantages against Joby. But from 2026 to 2028, analysts expect its revenue to rise from $9.5 million to $428.4 million as it ramps up its production. With a market cap of $3.6 billion, it still looks reasonably valued at 7 times its 2028 sales. Joby, with a market cap of $8.5 billion, looks pricier at 19 times its 2028 sales.
Archer's stock probably won't rally until the FAA fully certifies its first commercial flights, but its downside should be limited. Rather than sounding the alarm and declaring it's time to sell, it's probably better to wait and see if it can deliver more eVTOLs over the next few years.
Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Stellantis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
As the urban air mobility market moves toward launch, investors are weighing the merits of Archer Aviation (ACHR +1.39%) against Joby Aviation (JOBY +3.77%) to identify the superior long-term play.
Both companies are developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to bypass city traffic. While they share similar goals, their manufacturing strategies and early customer partnerships create distinct paths for those interested in the future of flight. This comparison explores which stock offers the best opportunity in 2026.
The case for Archer AviationThe company is a prominent name among industrial stocks that are moving into urban air mobility. It develops all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for air taxi operations with a focus on U.S. and UAE markets. Archer Aviation has a conditional purchase agreement with United Airlines (UAL +1.13%) for up to $1.0 billion in aircraft, and customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business. Manufacturing strategy relies on Stellantis (STLA +2.60%), while the company also partners with Anduril Industries on hybrid aircraft.
In FY 2025, the business generated its first revenue, of $300,000. This marks the beginning of the efforts to move from development to commercial flight. During this fiscal year, Archer Aviation reported a net loss of $618.2 million, exceeding its loss from the previous year and reflecting the company’s early-stage commercial development.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 0.1x. This ratio measures total debt, including short- and long-term obligations, against shareholders’ equity, with a lower number indicating less reliance on borrowed money. The current ratio is lower, at 0.06x. Free cash flow was negative at $511.7 million, representing the cash remaining after operating and capital spending are covered.
The case for Joby AviationJoby Aviation employs several go-to-market strategies, including its own air taxi services and direct sales. The company maintains a deep relationship with Toyota Motor Co (TM 1.87%), which serves as both a major investor and manufacturing collaborator. Joby Aviation also works with Delta Air Lines (DAL +0.80%) to integrate aerial ridesharing into premium airport services. To accelerate its market presence, the company operates Blade Urban Air Mobility as a subsidiary and integrates with the rideshare platform of Uber Technologies (UBER 4.70%).
In FY 2025, revenue jumped to nearly $53.4 million, a massive leap from the roughly $136,000 recorded in 2024. This growth was largely driven by its move toward full commercialization and the integration of its aviation service segments. Despite the higher revenue, Joby Aviation reported a net loss of approximately $930 million for the year.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is approximately 0.0x. This indicates that total debt is minimal relative to shareholders’ equity. Free cash flow was negative at nearly $563.8 million, showing the high level of cash used to build out its flight operations.
Risk profile comparisonArcher Aviation faces significant financial sustainability risks following its 2025 net loss of over $618.2 million. The company requires substantial capital to reach profitability and must successfully navigate FAA certification timelines. It is also involved in active litigation with Joby Aviation regarding trade secrets. These legal proceedings could divert management attention and lead to unfavorable financial outcomes.
Joby Aviation relies on future funding from Toyota, which is subject to closing conditions and manufacturing agreements. The company must manage the operational challenges of integrating its Blade acquisition while ramping up production in multiple states. Failure to meet FAA milestones would significantly delay its commercial service launch. Like its peer, Joby Aviation is managing the risks associated with ongoing patent and trade secret litigation.
Valuation comparisonJoby Aviation trades at a much lower P/S ratio than Archer Aviation, though both are trading at a premium.
MetricArcher AviationJoby AviationSector BenchmarkForward P/En/an/a31.3xP/S ratio1,680x96.7xSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLI sector ETF.
Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Which stock would I buy in 2026?Last year, the U.S. federal government created the framework for real-world testing of eVTOL aircraft, a concrete step toward making Archer’s and Joby’s visions a reality. Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia are other countries building similar regulatory frameworks. A lot still has to happen for either company’s aircraft to get into the skies, but the notion that the nation’s airspace is being regulated in a way that is holding back growth is one that has found favor.
Archer is taking steps to refurbish a small Los Angeles airport for use as its testing grounds and is working to scale up its manufacturing capabilities to eventually reach capacity for 50 planes a year. Management has an initial plan to focus on military and cargo uses for its plane, which would be an easier path to early revenue. It’s highly speculative, but Wall Street analysts see Archer turning its first profit in 2030, with $2.3 billion in revenue, but a lot has to go right between now and then.
Joby recently tested its Blade aircraft in New York City, in different charging environments and on real routes it proposes in the real world, such as flying from JFK airport, on the outskirts of the city, into Manhattan. Joby is further along with its manufacturing capabilities, embedding Toyota philosophies throughout its system. Even though it is further along the path to market, analysts don’t see Joby turning a profit through 2030, a year in which consensus projects $2.3 billion of revenue and a net loss of around $195 million.
Both Archer and Joby are early-stage aircraft businesses with significant risk for potential investors. Joby’s business model of flying short, in-demand routes in major cities seems more attainable after its testing in New York City. Its price-to-sales ratio of almost 97 is high but well below Archer’s. If you want to take a flyer on an upstart electric aircraft maker, go with Joby.
On Monday, Archer Aviation (ACHR 2.57%) stock fell to a new 52-week low. It has declined by nearly 40% since the start of the year, and it's now down close to 70% from its high of $14.62. It was a hot buy a few years ago, but the excitement around the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) stock has cooled off significantly.
However, for long-term investors, could this prove to be a blessing in disguise? Could now be an opportune time to buy low on Archer and just hang on for the long haul?
Image source: Getty Images.
The eVTOL market holds a lot of promise Air taxis have the potential to revolutionize the way people commute and travel on a day-to-day basis. That's the hope, anyway. And analysts at Grand View Research believe that by the end of the decade, the global eVTOL aircraft market could be worth around $28.6 billion. That would be an astounding rate of increase from the merely $2.1 billion they expect it to be worth this year.
The industry remains in its early growth stages, and Archer is one of the companies that hopes to be among the first to have an approved eVTOL aircraft in the skies. It's also the official air taxi provider for the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, in what could be Archer's big coming-out party.
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Is Archer's stock worth buying right now? At the end of the day, Archer is a risky stock to invest in. The company hasn't commenced its core operations, and it could take a long time before it turns a profit. Furthermore, its cash burn may accelerate as it scales its operations, assuming, of course, its air taxis obtain approval from regulators. In just the trailing 12 months, the company has incurred a net loss of around $743 million.
Archer could make for a compelling buy if you're willing to take on the risk that comes with doing so, because if the eVTOL market takes off and Archer is a big player in it, then its valuation could grow considerably. But without even an approval to hang its hat on right now, there's still a ton of risk with the stock.
This is a highly speculative investment, and investors should treat it as such. It may have a lot of upside, but it can also go far lower in value if things don't go as planned. If you're buying Archer's stock, you may want to keep a close eye on it.
Key Takeaways ACHR expands flight testing to validate aircraft systems and support regulatory certification.ACHR advances Midnight certification through compliance, testing and system validation activities.ACHR certification progress supports future aircraft deliveries and commercial deployment plans. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) continues making progress toward aircraft certification, a critical milestone in its path to commercial operations. The company is working closely with regulators to complete certification activities for its Midnight aircraft while continuing flight testing, system validation and compliance efforts. Achieving certification is expected to support commercial deployment and strengthen Archer Aviation's position within the emerging electric aircraft market.
Aircraft certification requires extensive testing and validation to demonstrate that an aircraft satisfies regulatory safety and performance standards. Archer Aviation continues expanding its test program by evaluating aircraft systems, flight characteristics and key components while generating data that supports the certification process. These activities help the company refine its aircraft while advancing toward regulatory approval.
Certification progress also strengthens Archer Aviation's commercial prospects. Reaching this milestone would enable the company to begin aircraft deliveries, support planned customer deployments and execute commercial agreements. Continued advancement through the certification process also reflects Archer Aviation's growing operational and engineering capabilities as it prepares for commercial production.
As the advanced aviation market evolves, regulatory approval is expected to remain one of the most important milestones for industry participants. Archer Aviation's continued focus on certification activities positions the company to support future commercial operations while strengthening its long-term growth outlook.
Companies Advancing Aircraft Certification ProgramsAircraft developers continue investing in certification activities as they prepare next-generation aircraft for commercial service. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and BETA Technologies, Inc. (BETA - Free Report) are also progressing certification efforts for their electric aircraft platforms.
Joby Aviation continues advancing flight testing and certification activities for its electric aircraft while working toward commercial passenger operations.
Beta Technologies is making progress in the certification of its electric aircraft through continued flight testing, system validation and regulatory engagement to support future commercial operations.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Trading at a DiscountArcher Aviation is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.78X compared with the industry average of 6.02X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past three months, ACHR shares have fallen 1.4% against the industry’s 3.9% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher Aviation currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways ACHR advances aircraft development, manufacturing and readiness for commercial air taxi services.ACHR benefits from U.S. pilot program participation supporting future commercialization efforts.JOBY focuses on certification progress, flight operations and building an integrated air mobility network. Archer Aviation, Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) and Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) are benefiting from growing momentum in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) market, driven by rising interest in advanced air mobility, sustainable transportation and next-generation aviation services. As governments and commercial partners accelerate efforts to launch electric air taxi networks, both companies are expanding their aircraft, operational capabilities and commercialization initiatives while supporting the future of urban air transportation.
The advanced air mobility industry continues to gain momentum through investments in electric aircraft, flight operations, certification activities and supporting infrastructure. Growing demand for efficient, low-emission transportation is encouraging the development of commercial air taxi networks and integrated aviation services. Collaboration with government agencies, infrastructure partners and commercial operators is creating long-term growth opportunities for companies developing scalable eVTOL platforms and advanced air mobility ecosystems.
Let’s compare the stocks’ fundamentals to determine which one is the better investment option at present.
The Case for ACHR StockArcher develops eVTOL aircraft designed to support commercial urban air mobility services. The company is advancing aircraft development, manufacturing capabilities and operational readiness while building an integrated ecosystem for future air taxi operations. Archer is also expanding strategic partnerships, production capabilities and supporting infrastructure to accelerate commercial deployment and establish scalable passenger transportation networks.
In March 2026, Archer announced that Florida, New York and Texas were selected for the White House eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, marking a significant milestone toward launching U.S. commercial air taxi services. The program is intended to support collaboration among federal, state and local stakeholders to advance operational readiness, infrastructure planning and commercial deployment. The initiative strengthens Archer's path toward commercialization while expanding opportunities to demonstrate and scale its eVTOL operations across key U.S. markets.
The Case for JOBY StockJoby Aviation develops electric air taxis and integrated flight services focused on commercial passenger transportation. The company continues advancing aircraft certification, manufacturing and operational capabilities while building the infrastructure needed to support large-scale commercial eVTOL operations. Its long-term strategy centers on developing an integrated air mobility network capable of delivering efficient, sustainable and on-demand transportation services.
In April 2026, Joby Aviation partnered with Air Space Intelligence to strengthen flight planning, airspace management and operational coordination for future U.S. air taxi services, supporting the efficient integration of eVTOL aircraft into national airspace. Earlier, in March 2026, the company announced plans to begin U.S. passenger operations in 2026 through participation in the White House eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, marking an important step toward commercial service launch. Together, these developments strengthen Joby's operational readiness, accelerate its commercialization efforts and support the planned rollout of its U.S. passenger air taxi network.
How Does the Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for ACHR & JOBY?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archer's 2026 sales indicates a massive rise of 4,144.67%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Joby Aviation’s 2026 sales calls for growth of 106.22%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Debt Position of ACHR & JOBYDebt position is an important financial indicator that reflects a company’s financial stability and ability to manage debt obligations efficiently. Currently, ACHR's debt-to-capital ratio is 3.65%, while JOBY's stands at 26.37%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR & JOBY: Stock Price PerformanceOver the past six months, shares of ACHR and JOBY have fallen 37.8% and 34.5%, respectively, compared with the industry’s decline of 7.6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Valuation for ACHR & JOBYACHR shares are trading at a forward 12-month Price/Book (P/B TTM) multiple of 1.75 compared with JOBY’s P/B TTM of 4.44.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ACHR or JOBY: Which is the Better Option Now?Both companies operate in the rapidly evolving eVTOL market. Archer focuses on developing electric air taxis, manufacturing capabilities and integrated infrastructure to support commercial urban air mobility services. Joby Aviation centers on electric aircraft development, flight operations and building an integrated air mobility network for future passenger transportation.
Our choice at the moment is Archer due to its significantly stronger sales growth outlook, more attractive valuation and better debt position compared to Joby Aviation.
Archer currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), while Joby Aviation carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Archer Aviation (ACHR 2.67%) and Kraken Robotics are two companies operating at the forefront of new technologies. Archer is a leader in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and Kraken is a leader in subsea batteries, ocean-floor mapping technologies, Lidar, and mine detection. Both companies have substantial growth opportunities in the defense sector.
Military budgets are rising around the world, and countries are taking steps to ensure that they are sufficiently positioned when it comes to next-gen defense technologies. With that in mind, is Archer Aviation or Kraken Robotics the better defense stock buy?
Image source: Getty Images.
Archer Aviation and Kraken Robotics at a glance Archer Aviation's business didn't post any sales last year, but the company did record revenue of $1.6 million in this year's first quarter and expects to begin commercial flight operations this year. The company currently has a market capitalization of roughly $4.2 billion.
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In addition to defense applications, Archer is also positioning commercial flights as a central component of its growth story. The company expects to begin commercial flights of its Midnight eVTOL aircraft in the United Arab Emirates this year, and it's moving through the certification process to secure the approval to fly in U.S. skies and other markets.
Meanwhile, Kraken recorded sales of roughly 102 million Canadian dollars (about $72 million USD based on the current exchange rate) in 2025. Kraken recorded net income of CA$2.9 million (roughly $2.1 million) last year, and Archer Aviation posted a net loss of $618.2 million.
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The scope of Kraken's business is also poised to expand dramatically thanks to the company's acquisition of Covelya -- another leader in the maritime technologies space. Kraken currently has a market cap of roughly $1.7 billion, but that figure will likely rise closer to $2 billion when the company issues new stock to complete its acquisition of Covelya.
Notably, both Archer and Kraken have partnerships with Anduril -- one of the most exciting companies when it comes to next-generation defense tech. Archer has teamed with Anduril to develop hybrid VTOL aircraft for military applications. Meanwhile, Kraken's batteries and sensor technologies are used in Anduril's GhostShark, Dive-LD, and Dive-XL unmanned, underwater drones. Covelya's Sonardyne technologies are also used in Anduril's sea drones, and the combination with Kraken should open up cross-selling opportunities across their respective customer bases and open the door for new selling and administrative efficiencies.
Which stock is the better buy? Between the two companies, I think Kraken stands out as the better buy right now. Despite having a significantly lower market capitalization, Kraken's commercialization ramp is significantly further along -- while also still offering big long-term growth potential. With Anduril seemingly set to ramp up production of its underwater drone platforms in the coming years, Kraken has some powerful performance catalysts on the horizon.
The company is also posting gross margins that look quite encouraging for a heavily hardware-focused business. The subsea tech specialist recorded a gross margin of 62.1% last year, and it's guiding for a gross margin between 55% and 60% this year.
Archer Aviation's business could scale rapidly, but I see a longer and tougher path to profitability and strong earnings growth. With that in mind, I think that Kraken stands out as a better buy for investors seeking next-gen defense plays.
Key Takeaways ACHR plans to use Hawthorne Airport as the operational hub for its Los Angeles air taxi network.The site will support takeoff, landing, maintenance, passenger handling and ground operations.ACHR is planning up to 200,000 sq. ft. of hangar space for air mobility and innovation activities. Archer Aviation Inc. (ACHR - Free Report) is giving its air taxi strategy a stronger operating base through its control of Hawthorne Airport near Los Angeles International Airport and Downtown Los Angeles. The company plans to use the site as the operational hub for its Los Angeles network while also developing it as an innovation center for next-generation AI-powered aviation technologies. This makes the airport more than a real estate asset. It can become a testing and coordination point for the company’s broader urban air mobility ambitions.
The move is important because commercial air taxi service will require more than certified aircraft. Archer Aviation will also need take-off and landing access, hangar capacity, maintenance support, passenger handling systems, ground operations and local regulatory coordination. Hawthorne Airport gives the company a place to bring many of these requirements together in one market that could be important for early adoption.
Archer Aviation also expects to prepare the site for planned air taxi operations in the Los Angeles area and potential use around the LA28 Olympic Games. The company has discussed the redevelopment of up to 200,000 square feet of hangar space and the creation of an advanced air mobility center of excellence. Over time, Archer Aviation aims to add AI-supported features such as air traffic coordination, ground operations management, maintenance detection and smoother passenger screening.
The company noted that capital projects at Hawthorne may face cost, permitting, labor, regulatory and schedule risks. If Archer Aviation can manage these challenges, Hawthorne Airport could support its shift from aircraft development toward real-world air taxi operations.
Companies Expanding Air Mobility NetworksAs companies move closer to commercial air mobility services, building operational networks is becoming increasingly important. Companies like Joby Aviation, Inc. (JOBY - Free Report) and Eve Holding, Inc. (EVEX - Free Report) are also expanding networks to support future air mobility operations.
Joby Aviation is developing flight networks and operational capabilities to support the planned rollout of its electric air taxi services.
Eve Holding is working with partners and stakeholders to help establish the network needed for future urban air mobility operations.
Earnings Estimates for ACHR StockThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 and 2027 earnings per share suggests a year-over-year decline of 61.90% and growth of 7.51%, respectively.
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ACHR Stock Trading at a DiscountArcher Aviation is trading at a discount relative to the industry, with a trailing 12-month price-to-book of 1.98X compared with the industry average of 6.03X
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ACHR Stock Price PerformanceOver the past three months, ACHR shares have fallen 1.5% compared with the industry’s 0.2% decline.
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ACHR’s Zacks RankArcher Aviation currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
ACHR advances VTOL testing and regulatory milestones, with the upcoming eIPP participation and Restricted Type Certificate program supporting intermediate-term US/UAE commercialization. With a growing order book nearing $6B as of 2024 and an expanded manufacturing cadence, the VTOL company appears well on track to rapidly monetize their offerings upon FAA certification. These tailwinds are, albeit, negated by ACHR's elevated cash burn rate as they intensify their multi-pronged testing/manufacturing/training/operations at Hawthorne Airport in LA/commercialization cadence.
Archer Aviation (NYSE:ACHR | ACHR Price Prediction) has had a rough year. After running up above $14.62 in the last 52 weeks, the eVTOL hopeful now trades at $5.08, down 32.45% year to date.
Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for Archer Aviation is $11.51 over the next 12 months, implying 126.61% upside. The model rates Archer a buy with a moderate 50% confidence level, reflecting strong catalysts paired with real execution risk.
24/7 Wall St. Price Target Summary Metric Value Current Price $5.08 24/7 Wall St. Price Target $11.51 Upside 126.61% Recommendation BUY Confidence Level 50% A Brutal Six Months, But Catalysts Are Lining Up Archer has lost 22.09% in the past month and 56.69% over the trailing year. Q1 2026, filed May 11, 2026, showed EPS of -$0.28 against a -$0.24 consensus and a net loss of $217.7 million on just $1.60 million of revenue. Cash fell $188.8 million sequentially to $951.1 million.
CEO Adam Goldstein called it “another banner quarter”, pointing to “record FAA certification progress” and a strategy spanning air taxis, defense, and AI software. A June 26, 2026 shareholder vote on Texas reincorporation is the next governance milestone.
The Case for $14 and Higher The bull case rests on Archer becoming the first US eVTOL operator. They are the first eVTOL company to close Phase 3 of the FAA’s four-phase Type Certification process and the FAA has accepted 100% of 797 Means of Compliance.
Add the LA28 Olympics provider designation, partnerships with Korean Air (up to 100 aircraft), Japan Airlines, and Saudi PIF, plus a defense program with Anduril powered by NVIDIA’s IGX Thor and Palantir’s SMART AI work, and Archer becomes a multi-platform play.
The bull scenario points to $14.56, a 186.57% return. H.C. Wainwright carries a $18 Buy target. ARK holds 4.94% and BlackRock 6.9%, signaling institutional conviction.
What Could Go Wrong The bear thesis is straightforward: Archer burns cash at scale with almost no revenue. Q1 2026 R&D hit $171.7 million against $1.6 million of sales, and net losses widened 133.08% year over year. An $8 million vendor stock issuance in May highlighted dilution risk, and Goldman Sachs recently moved to Hold. The bear scenario projects $9.35, still above today’s price but well below the base target.
May 2026 insider sales by the CTO, CLO, Interim CFO, and Chief Accounting Officer were tax-driven, tied to RSU vesting. CEO Adam Goldstein received a 788,552 share deferred RSU grant with no sales.
Archer Aviation Price Prediction 2026-2030 The 24/7 Wall St. price target of $11.51 implies 126.61% upside and our model rates Archer a buy at 50% confidence. The key tipping factor is FAA Phase 4 progress paired with the LA28 contract and a defense pipeline the Street is not yet pricing in.
The bull case strengthens if Archer begins commercial US operations in the second half of 2026 as guided. The thesis weakens if Phase 4 slips into 2027 or if another dilutive raise lands before revenue scales.
Here is where our model projects Archer could trade, assuming certification holds and commercial revenue scales as planned.
Year 24/7 Wall St. Price Target 2026 $11.51 2027 $17.50 2028 $26.00 2029 $36.00 2030 $48.30 These projections assume Archer executes on FAA certification, scales Midnight production to 50 aircraft annually, and converts conditional international orders into revenue. Certification delays would drive significant downside, while defense award wins could accelerate the bull case.
Choosing between a high-growth electric aviation pioneer and a profitable defense manufacturer requires weighing long-term vision against financial stability. This is the trade-off between investing in Archer Aviation (ACHR +3.92%) or Karman (KRMN 3.19%) as the better stock to meet your goals.
Archer focuses on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed for urban travel. Karman provides critical systems for launch vehicles, satellites, and missile defense programs. While both operate within the aerospace landscape, they represent vastly different stages of corporate maturity and financial performance.
The case for Archer AviationArcher Aviation designs and develops Midnight, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility. The company primarily targets the air taxi market, with plans to launch operations in the United States and the UAE. It maintains a conditional purchase agreement with United Airlines for up to $1.5 billion worth of aircraft. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, as a significant portion of its future relies on a single partner.
In its 2025 fiscal year (FY), revenue reached $300,000 as the company began its early commercial efforts. This resulted in a net loss of $618.2 million for the year. The net margin, which shows how much of each dollar of revenue remains after all expenses, was -206,067%.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the current ratio stands at 19.9x, indicating a strong ability to cover short-term debts with liquid assets. The debt-to-equity ratio, which compares total debt to the value owned by shareholders, is 0.1x. Free cash flow, calculated as cash from operations minus capital expenditures, was -$511.7 million.
The case for KarmanKarman designs and manufactures mission-critical systems used among defense stocks. It serves customers in launch vehicles, satellites, and missile defense, primarily within the United States. Its three largest customers accounted for 51.5% of total revenue in 2025. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business, as losing one major partner would significantly impact financial results.
During FY 2025, revenue reached $471.5 million, representing growth of 36.6% over the previous year. The company reported net income of $17.4 million. The net margin was 3.7%, which reflects the percentage of revenue turned into profit after all costs.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was 1.5x, meaning the company relies more on debt than equity to fund its assets. The current ratio, which measures the company's ability to pay short-term obligations, was 3.3x. Free cash flow for the period was -$42.5 million.
Risk profile comparisonArcher Aviation faces significant regulatory hurdles, as it must obtain FAA certification before it can begin commercial air taxi operations. The company currently generates very little revenue and expects ongoing losses, meaning it will likely need to raise more capital. It also faces competition from other developers like Joby Aviation. Any disruptions in its limited supply chain could lead to delays in aircraft production.
Karman faces risks from its heavy reliance on a few major customers, which create significant revenue concentration. It also depends on defense contracts from the U.S. government that can be terminated or reduced at any time. The company must navigate intense competition from larger aerospace firms such as Lockheed Martin. Furthermore, Karman must comply with strict cybersecurity requirements to remain eligible for future government projects.
Valuation comparisonArcher Aviation looks cheaper on a forward earnings basis, while Karman appears more attractive when comparing their price relative to total revenue.
MetricArcher AviationKarmanSector BenchmarkForward P/E58.1x84.4x29.8xP/S ratio12862.5x13.6xn/aSector benchmark uses the SPDR XLI sector ETF. Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
In comparing these two aerospace companies, Archer Aviation offers the potential for outsized share price gains in the future if its eVTOL vision can take flight commercially. It expects to begin initial operations in the U.S. this year.
Perhaps more significantly, Archer announced investments in defense and artificial intelligence that management believes can lead to substantial revenue opportunities. The company managed to boost sales to $1.6 million in the first quarter, and it ended Q1 with $1.8 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. This sum should help it fund operations as it ramps up sales.
Karman is the established company between this pair, and its business is booming. It reported record Q1 revenue of $151.2 million, up an impressive 51% year over year. Despite this, its stock fell near its 52-week low of $43.49 after Karman announced that it was selling more stock at $61 per share.
The drop in Karman’s stock price creates a buy opportunity. Its revenue is rising, and shares are well below their 52-week high of $118.38 reached in January. These factors make it the better buy in 2026.
Archer is a speculative stock with a lot of risk given its lack of sales. Perhaps it will someday be worth investing in, but right now, Karman is my pick.
You've probably heard of "friendly rivalries" in business, but there's nothing friendly about the rivalry between electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft makers Archer Aviation (ACHR +3.92%) and Joby Aviation (JOBY +6.50%).
The two aviation start-ups are fighting tooth and nail to be the first to gain commercial approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate their eVTOLs as air taxis.
Recently, both companies filed lawsuits against one another alleging (among other things) corporate espionage, fraud, and secret ties to China.
A recent court ruling brought bad news for both companies, but Joby was still the clear winner (again). Here's what happened and how it might affect both companies' stocks.
Image source: Joby Aviation.
Claims and counterclaims It all started in November, when Joby filed a lawsuit against Archer and George Kivork, a former Joby employee who went to work for Archer. Joby alleged that Kivork brought stolen trade secrets to Archer and that Archer accidentally gave the game away when it approached a real estate developer who was one of Joby's strategic partners and revealed confidential details about the partner's exclusive agreement with Joby.
Archer vigorously denied the claims, and in March it hit Joby with a countersuit, alleging in part that Joby fraudulently imported components sourced from China, which were deliberately misclassified as other goods like socks to avoid U.S. tariffs and other oversight. The reference to socks had caused the countersuit to become known in aviation industry circles as "Sockgate."
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Joby, of course, denied all of the counterclaims, and on June 5 a judge finally weighed in.
One narrowed, one denied U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen of the Northern District of California, who is hearing the case, dealt setbacks to both sides in her June 5 order.
She threw out several portions of Joby's suit, dismissing claims that pertained to trade secrets involving commercial strategy, regulatory planning, infrastructure planning, and technical aircraft information. Her reasoning was that Joby had not sufficiently explained how these materials had been misappropriated. She similarly dismissed a claim that Archer had induced Kivork to breach his agreement with Joby. However, Joby can amend these claims and resubmit them by June 22, which Joby plans to do.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
In good news for Joby, Van Keulen ruled that it had plausibly alleged Archer's misappropriation of confidential information related to the real estate developer's partnership. This was the core of Joby's suit against Archer, and the fact that it can move forward is good news for the company.
Even better for Joby, the judge dismissed all of Archer's counterclaims for fraud and import misclassification but gave Archer until June 29 to potentially refile an amended complaint. Archer's management has said it intends to do so.
How it affects investors The rulings represented a collective win for Joby, because it's always better to have your claims allowed than thrown out.
That said, Joby's remaining claims are comparatively minor. Even if proven, the penalty for having improper knowledge of a rival's contract with a real estate developer would be far less severe than the consequences of stealing a rival's technical aircraft information.
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Similarly, fraud and tariff evasion are no small matters, so Joby is likely breathing a sigh of relief... at least for now. Because both sides can refile, there's always the possibility that some of their amended claims will be allowed to proceed. We'll probably have to wait months before the judge rules on those updated claims, which might affect either company's share price.
Ultimately, investors should be more concerned with the companies' progress (or lack thereof) toward final FAA commercial approval of their eVTOL aircraft. Until they receive that approval (and possibly even afterwards), they'll remain very risky and speculative stocks. While a loss in court would likely have a small impact on either stock, failing to receive FAA approval would almost certainly tank their shares. Even "Sockgate" would pale in comparison.
Archer Aviation (ACHR +8.76%) stock is soaring on Monday in a day of strong bullish trading for the broader market. As of 1 p.m. ET, the company's share price was up 9.8% in the daily session. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 had jumped 1.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite had surged 3.1%.
The stock market is roaring higher today thanks to news that the U.S. and Iran have reached a preliminary agreement to end the war. While Archer stock is getting a big pop today, it's actually still down 26% across 2026's trading.
Image source: Archer Aviation.
The market is surging thanks to the end of the Iran war Equity valuations are rising today as investors react positively to news that the U.S. and Iran have agreed to terms to end their conflict. Investors had been worried that the war would result in sustained upward pressures for energy prices that would cause inflation to continue running hot. With the war now seemingly ended, investors are feeling less worried about the outlook on inflation -- and growth stocks are seeing strong valuation gains.
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What's next for Archer? If the end of the war causes inflation to ease, it will become significantly less likely that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates. While it seems unlikely right now that the Fed will cut rates this year, a conclusion to the war would make it more likely that the central banking authority could cut rates in 2027. In general, softer inflation and lower rates bode well for Archer and other growth stocks.
On the other hand, investors should keep in mind that there is still some risk that tensions between the U.S. and Iran could escalate again. There is still a lot of negotiation work that the two countries need to get done, and the market could face strong bearish pressures if the situation deteriorates.
Keith Noonan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
