$ACHR · Archer Aviation Inc.

Archer Aviation filed an 8-K disclosing a September 29, 2026 court ruling in its ongoing litigation with rival Joby Aero. The Northern District of California partially granted motions to dismiss: certain trade-secret and contract claims against Archer were dismissed (some with leave to amend), while other claims against Archer survive. Separately, Archer's counterclaims under the Lanham Act and California Unfair Competition Law were dismissed without leave to amend.

Extended-hours trading shows ACHR at $4.88, down 0.20% from the regular close of $4.89 — essentially flat, suggesting the mixed ruling was largely anticipated or viewed as a net-neutral development.

The ruling reshapes the core IP battle between the two leading publicly traded eVTOL companies, removing Archer's offensive counterclaims while leaving Joby's core case partially intact.

The Archer-Joby legal battle is the defining IP dispute in the eVTOL sector, with both companies racing toward FAA certification. Any narrowing or expansion of claims directly affects competitive positioning in the nascent urban air mobility market.

Remaining claims against Archer are proceeding, meaning continued litigation costs and potential liability exposure. The dismissal of Archer's counterclaims with prejudice eliminates a leverage point in the dispute with primary eVTOL rival Joby.