Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) shares are gaining momentum Monday. The stock is up roughly 14% over the past week. Investors are positioning themselves ahead of the company’s first-quarter 2026 earnings report.

The Nasdaq is up 0.23% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.28%.

Archer Aviation Earnings Anticipation Builds

Archer will release its quarterly results after the market close on Monday. Wall Street analysts estimate a loss per share of 27 cents. They expect quarterly revenue to hit $1.69 million.

UAE Regulatory Breakthrough

Recent gains follow news from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The regulator moved Archer’s Midnight aircraft into a Restricted Type Certificate (RTC) program.

This streamlines the path for initial air taxi operations. “The GCAA is committed to safely integrating innovative aviation technologies,” said Aqeel Al Zarooni, Assistant Director General at GCAA.

Archer Aviation Short Interest Declines

Market data shows a shift in bearish sentiment. Short interest fell from 98.66 million to 91.87 million shares. Currently, 14.16% of the float remains short. At average volumes, it would take 3.9 days for shorts to cover.

Path To Commercialization

CEO Adam Goldstein called the UAE program a “major step.” Archer is the first eVTOL maker to reach this certification track with the GCAA. The company plans to launch service in Abu Dhabi with partner Abu Dhabi Aviation.

Archer Aviation Price Action

ACHR Price Action: Archer Aviation shares were up 1.23% at $6.56 at the time of publication on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo by T. Schneider via Shutterstock