Archer Aviation Surges 20% After Agreeing to Acquire Three Boeing Subsidiaries for Equity Stake

Archer Aviation signed definitive agreements on August 10 to acquire Boeing's Wisk Aero, SkyGrid, and Insitu subsidiaries in an all-stock transaction, sending ACHR shares up roughly 20% to approximately $6.63. Under the terms of the deal, Boeing will receive a stake in Archer reported variously as 16.5% by the New York Times and 19.75% by other outlets, along with warrants and the right to nominate a director to Archer's board. Boeing will also retain access to Wisk's autonomous flight technology through a long-term collaboration agreement.

Wisk Aero has been developing an autonomous eVTOL aircraft, SkyGrid provides air-traffic management software for urban air mobility, and Insitu manufactures high-altitude drones used in military applications, generating more than $200 million in annual revenue. The deal broadens Archer's footprint across autonomous flight, unmanned systems, and airspace management while extending its military portfolio. For Boeing, the divestiture is the latest in a series of asset sales under CEO Kelly Ortberg as the company continues to streamline operations.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. Shares of rival eVTOL firms Joby Aviation and EHang did not see comparable gains on the news.