Joby rises after deal to buy Blade Air's passenger business; BLDE shares soar

Strata Critical Medical

04/08/2025 14:27

** Joby Aviation's JOBY.N shares up ~7% premarket to $18.40 after co said it would buy helicopter ride-share firm Blade Air Mobility's BLDE.O passenger business for up to $125 mln

** BLDE shares up 30% to $4.90 before the bell

** Blade's medical organ transplant division not part of the deal and will remain a separate public co rebranded as Strata Critical Medical, but will partner with Joby on medical transportation

** Meanwhile, Joby working to win Federal Aviation Administration certification of its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft or eVTOLs

** Through Fri close, JOBY shares up 111% YTD giving co ~$14.4 bln market cap, per LSEG data

** BLDE shares, which have roughly $300 mln market cap, have lost 11% in 2025 through last close

(Lance Tupper is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)

((lance.tupper@tr.com 1-646-279-6380))