Is Archer Aviation Stock a Buy After Q1? Analysts See Nearly 99% Upside for ACHR

Archer Aviation (ACHR), an air taxi firm that is building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, drew fresh support from Wall Street (ACHR), an air taxi firm that is building electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, drew fresh support from Wall Street after its Q1 2026 update. Needham analyst Chris Pierce kept a Buy rating on the stock with a $9 price target, while H.C. Wainwright analyst Amit Dayal stayed more upbeat with a Buy rating and an $18 target. Meanwhile, Canaccord kept a Buy rating as well, though it cut its price target to $12 from $13 after the report. On the more cautious side, Goldman Sachs Group (GS) analyst Noah Poponak kept a Hold rating and set a $9 price target. Overall, the tone was still positive. According to TipRanks data, Archer has a Moderate Buy rating based on six top Wall Street analysts, with an average price target of $13. That points to about 99% upside from the stock's recent price near $6.52. Cash, FAA Progress, and Launch Plans Stay in Focus The bull case rests on a few key points. First, Archer ended the quarter with $1.8 billion in cash and access to funds, while debt stayed below $100 million. That gives the firm room to keep funding test flights, FAA work, defense plans, and launch efforts. Second, Archer said it made more progress with the FAA. Canaccord noted that management highlighted Archer as the first eVTOL maker to complete Phase 3 of the FAA type-approval process. That point is key because Archer still needs clear wins on rules and safety before it can scale air taxi flights. Still, costs are rising. Archer guided for a Q2 adjusted EBITDA loss of $170 million to $200 million. The firm also said Q1 was its "most expensive quarter" for the flight test program. As a result, near-term cash burn remains a key risk. Even so, Archer pointed to strong launch plans. The firm expects to take part in U.S. city trials through the FAA's EIPP program, expand work at Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles, and build its early fleet. It also sees growth from defense work and from its planned launch path in the UAE. For now, Wall Street seems to view Archer as a high-risk, high upside stock. The firm still has to prove it can win full approval, build aircraft at scale, and turn its plans into real sales. However, with strong cash, fresh analyst support, and clear progress on launch goals, the stock remains one of the more watched names in the air taxi space.">after its Q1 2026 update. Needham analyst Chris Pierce kept a Buy rating on the stock with a $9 price target, while H.C. Wainwright four-star analyst Amit Dayal doubled down on the stock and reiterated a Buy rating and an $18 target.Claim 55% Off TipRanksNew trading tool for ACHR bulls Meanwhile, Canaccord's five-star analyst Austin Moeller kept a Buy rating as well, though he cut its price target to $12 from $13 after the report. On the more cautious side, Goldman Sachs Group (GS) four-star analyst Noah Poponak kept a Hold rating and set a $9 price target. Meanwhile, ACHR shares continued their recent rally with another 2% rise, closing at $6.52.