Shares of Archer Aviation (ACHR) fell 2.5% to $10.51 on Thursday after the company announced that Chief Financial Officer Mark Mesler officially resigned. Mesler had been on medical leave since September 2024. Priya Gupta, who has served as acting CFO during that time, will continue in the role going forward.
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Meanwhile, ACHR shares are up nearly 8% year-to-date, though the stock remains volatile. Investors are watching closely to see how leadership continuity under Gupta will impact execution, especially as Archer aims to commercialize electric vertical takeoff aircraft in the coming years.
ARK Invest Trims Its Position in ACHR
In connection with the resignation, Archer entered a transition agreement with Mesler. He will receive a one-time cash payment equal to nine months of his base salary, plus three months of his target annual bonus. Some of his unvested restricted stock units will also accelerate over the same period. The company expects to file the full agreement in its upcoming quarterly report.
Meanwhile, institutional sentiment on ACHR stock may be shifting. On the same day as the resignation, ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, sold shares of ACHR across its ETFs. The sale was part of a broader portfolio rebalance that also included trimming positions in Roku (ROKU) and Coinbase (COIN). ARK still holds a position in Archer, but has been gradually reducing exposure in recent months.
Is Archer Aviation Stock a Good Buy?
Despite the executive change and selling activity, Wall Street analysts remain positive on the stock. Based on six recent ratings, Archer Aviation boasts a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average 12-month price target of $11.75. This implies an 11.8% upside from the current price. Notably, analysts at Canaccord Genuity and Cantor Fitzgerald both reiterated $13 targets this week, while H.C. Wainwright maintained its $18 forecast.
