Joby’s Flight of Folly: eVTOL Turbulence Takes a Toll

Joby Aviation’s stock took a nosedive that would make a caffeinated canary dizzy. On Thursday, the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company’s shares plummeted 9%, with a midday swoon reaching 10.8%. If you thought this was a scene from a 1970s disaster film, you’re not entirely wrong-just swap the oil rigs for flying cars and add more regulatory paperwork.

The analysts, those modern-day oracles of the financial world, have thrown Joby into chaos. H.C. Wainwright, in a move as dramatic as a Shakespearean villain’s monologue, downgraded the stock from “buy” to “neutral,” citing valuation concerns. Meanwhile, Canaccord managed the impressive feat of both downgrading the stock to “hold” and raising its price target to $17-a financial tightrope act that would leave Cirque du Soleil envious. The stock closed at $17.25, a figure that now feels as meaningful as a prophecy from a teacup-reading llama.

For a company valued at $13.6 billion, Joby’s revenue could fit in a shoebox with room for toe space. It hasn’t sold a single eVTOL commercially, and its regulatory hurdles in the U.S. are thicker than a 19th-century maritime code. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia waves it in like a VIP at a bureaucratic buffet. History tells us that when companies trade at valuations that defy gravity, the only thing they share with the ground is a strong desire to return to it.

Even after today’s crash, Joby’s stock is up 112% in 2025. If you think this means it’s “on sale,” you’re confusing Wall Street with a clearance bin at a retailer that rounds up prices. This is a stock for investors who enjoy the thrill of volatility like it’s a rollercoaster designed by a sleep-deprived engineer. The eVTOL market might one day be the next aviation revolution-or it might join the ranks of “flying car” startups that promised the sky and delivered a parking ticket.

So, is Joby a buy? For the risk-tolerant, it’s a speculative bet wrapped in a tech dream and tied with a regulatory knot. For the rest of us? It’s a reminder that history doesn’t repeat itself-it just whistles a familiar tune while we chase the next big thing. 🛫

2025-08-08 03:27

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