ACHR +0.24% NVDA -0.35% ARCH.OL +1.18% Explore stocks on Coinbase Trading disclosure Trading disclosure The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
Massive disruptions to urban transportation don't happen often. So when Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) came along, heralding its plans to develop electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that would revolutionize urban transport, growth investors sat up and took note. In the three months following its Sept. 17, 2021, initial public offering (IPO), Archer Aviation shares soared 111%.
But Archer Aviation's recent performance tells a different story. Since the start of 2026, Archer Aviation's stock has declined by more than 44%. Is this merely some market turbulence that belies a stronger performance since Archer's IPO, or is it part of a longer downward trend?
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 16x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Following its founding in 2018, Archer debuted on public markets in 2021 after it completed a business merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
In its S-1, Archer reported that it had received an order from United Airlines for the conditional purchase of up to $1 billion in aircraft, with an option to purchase an additional $500 million. The airline's interest helped legitimize Archer's ambitions to provide air taxi service. Between this and the company reporting success toward securing the requisite FAA certifications, shares soared 105% over the two years following the IPO.
For those who bought Archer Aviation stock when the company went public, the returns have been disappointing. While the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has soared 84% since Sept. 17, 2021, as of this writing, Archer Aviation has risen only 33.3%, meaning that those who bought $5,000 of Archer Aviation stock have seen their investments grow to $6,667.
Just because this eVTOL stock hasn't produced market-beating returns doesn't mean that it won't in the future. It's critical for potential investors to recognize, however, that the stock remains speculative, as Archer hasn't commenced commercial operations. As a result, investors must have a high risk tolerance before clicking the buy button on Archer stock.
Before you buy stock in Archer Aviation, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Archer Aviation wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $342,020!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,270,017!*
Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 885% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of November 5, 2026.
Scott Levine 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.
If You'd Invested $5,000 in eVTOL Leader Archer Aviation Stock 5 Years Ago at Its IPO, Here's How Much You'd Have Today was originally published by The Motley Fool
