Joby Aviation Soars 20.5% on Blockbuster Acquisition—What’s Next for eVTOL Giants?

Summary
• Joby Aviation (JOBY) surges 20.45% to $20.67, hitting its 52-week high of $20.91
• Announces $125M acquisition of Blade’s passenger business, adding 50,000+ fliers and U.S./Europe infrastructure
• Intraday volume spikes to 51.9M shares, 11.6% of float, signaling aggressive institutional participation
• Sector leader Boeing (BA) lags with -0.17% intraday decline amid labor strikes
Joby Aviation’s stock is in a tailwind, driven by a strategic acquisition that accelerates its commercialization timeline. The deal, valued up to $125 million, secures Blade’s urban air mobility (UAM) infrastructure and customer base, positioning JOBY to dominate the eVTOL sector. With the stock trading near its 52-week high and technical indicators flashing bullish signals, investors are betting on a new era for electric air taxis.

Strategic Acquisition Ignites JOBY’s Bull Run
Joby Aviation’s 20.5% surge is anchored by its acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business, a $125 million deal that injects immediate infrastructure and customer acquisition into its eVTOL roadmap. Blade’s 12 urban terminals in New York, Europe, and Wall Street provide Joby with a ready-made network to transition passengers from helicopters to electric aircraft. The transaction, set to close in weeks, also grants access to Blade’s decade of operational expertise and 50,000+ fliers, reducing capital outlay for Joby. CEO JoeBen Bevirt highlighted the synergy: ‘This is a launchpad for Dubai operations and global expansion.’ The stock’s intraday high of $20.91 (matching its 52-week high) reflects market confidence in the accelerated commercialization timeline.

Options and ETFs to Capitalize on JOBY’s Bullish Momentum
• 200-day average: 8.05 (far below current price); RSI: 72.86 (overbought); MACD: 1.85 (bullish), Signal Line: 1.997 (neutral), Histogram: -0.145 (bearish divergence)
• Bollinger Bands: Price at 20.57 (upper), 15.39 (middle), 10.20 (lower)—overextended above middle band
• Key resistance: 20.50–20.91 (52W high); support: 18.27 (intraday low)
• Short-term outlook: Overbought RSI and bearish MACD histogram suggest a pullback to 18.27–19.50 before resuming the uptrend
• Top options:
• JOBY20250808C20: Call option with 0.643 delta, 132.77% IV, 0.1147 gamma, 0.2199 theta, $112,218 turnover. Leverage ratio: 11.75% (moderate), implied volatility: 132.77% (high), theta: -0.2199 (aggressive time decay). This contract benefits from a 5% upside (targeting $21.70) with a payoff of $1.70 per share.
• JOBY20250808C20.5: Call option with 0.582 delta, 137.60% IV, 0.1159 gamma, 0.2213 theta, $192,126 turnover. Leverage ratio: 13.49% (high), IV: 137.60% (high), gamma: 0.1159 (high sensitivity). A 5% upside pushes the payoff to $2.20 per share, making it ideal for short-term traders.
Aggressive bulls may consider JOBY20250808C20 into a bounce above $20.50, while JOBY20250808C20.5 offers higher leverage for a 5% move. Both contracts balance high gamma and theta for a volatile near-term trade.

Backtest Joby Aviation Stock Performance
The backtest of JOBY's performance after a 20% intraday surge shows mixed results. While the stock experienced a maximum return of 5.51% on day 58, the overall 3-day win rate was 45.33%, the 10-day win rate was 50.00%, and the 30-day win rate was 52.33%, indicating a higher probability of positive returns in the short term. However, the average returns over the 3, 10, and 30 days were negative at -0.12%, 0.74%, and 2.80%, respectively. This suggests that while there is a good chance of a positive return in the immediate aftermath of the surge, the stock may experience some downward pressure in the longer term.

Joby’s eVTOL Leap—Act on Key Levels Before the Next Move
Joby Aviation’s acquisition of Blade’s passenger business has ignited a bullish catalyst, but technical indicators suggest a short-term pullback before resuming the uptrend. With RSI overbought and MACD diverging, traders should watch the 18.27–19.50 support range. A break above 20.50 could trigger a test of the 20.91 52-week high. Meanwhile, sector leader Boeing (BA) is down -0.17%, dragged by labor strikes—highlighting JOBY’s divergence. Investors should prioritize the 20.50–20.91 level for re-entry or short-term options plays. Aggressive bulls may consider JOBY20250808C20 into a bounce above $20.50.