AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Stock Price Down 3.4% After Insider Selling

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV)’s share price dropped 3.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The company traded as low as $233.78 and last traded at $235.12. Approximately 1,180,633 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 31% from the average daily volume of 1,699,969 shares. The stock had previously closed at $243.42.

Specifically, CFO Kevin Patrick Mcdonnell sold 879 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $267.60, for a total value of $235,220.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 16,422 shares in the company, valued at $4,394,527.20. This trade represents a 5.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AVAV has been the topic of several research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $486.00 to $429.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $415.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, January 26th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $450.00 price target on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $355.00 target price for the company. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, AeroVironment presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $378.06.

AeroVironment News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. Army used AVAV’s LOCUST counter‑drone laser near El Paso — field deployment demonstrates product adoption by a major customer, boosts credibility for follow‑on orders and program wins. Reuters: LOCUST used by US Army
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst reaffirmation with a high price target — Citizens Jmp kept a “market outperform” rating and a $400 target, signaling continued bullish institutional views that could support buying interest. TickerReport / Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Washington hires to strengthen defense engagement — appointment of Stephen Voline as Senior Director, Washington Operations should help AVAV pursue larger DoD programs and smooth acquisition pathways. Business Wire: Stephen Voline hire
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple media reports cover the same deployment — several outlets (MSN/Yahoo/Reuters) report on the LOCUST deployment; overlap increases headline volume but does not add new contract details. MSN: Army deploys AeroVironment laser
• Negative Sentiment: Airspace shutdown and potential regulatory/PR risk — deployment near El Paso International triggered a seven‑hour airspace halt, which can raise liability, safety and permitting questions that investors may view as execution or reputational risk. MSN Exclusive: LOCUST used near airport
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling by CFO — Kevin McDonnell sold 879 shares (filed with the SEC), a small reduction that can nonetheless be perceived negatively by some investors. SEC Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Recent analyst coverage and headlines note share weakness and underperformance — outlets like Zacks highlighted recent declines and could amplify selling pressure despite positive program news. Zacks: AVAV falls

AeroVironment Trading Down 3.4%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 5.08 and a quick ratio of 4.29. The business’s 50 day moving average is $286.71 and its 200 day moving average is $294.18. The stock has a market cap of $11.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -188.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 1.23.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.43). The company had revenue of $472.51 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $466.16 million. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 5.08% and a positive return on equity of 3.42%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 150.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.47 EPS. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of AeroVironment

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Cibc World Markets Corp purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $606,000. Index Technologies Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the fourth quarter worth $402,000. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 2.3% during the 4th quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 13,747 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $3,325,000 after purchasing an additional 315 shares during the last quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 16.6% during the fourth quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 8,838 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $2,138,000 after buying an additional 1,260 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 4th quarter worth $27,299,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

About AeroVironment

AeroVironment, Inc (NASDAQ:AVAV) is a technology company specializing in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), tactical missiles and precision loitering munitions, electric vehicle charging and scalable energy systems. Headquartered in Monrovia, California, the company develops solutions for defense, public safety and commercial markets. Their offerings include small UAS for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as advanced weapons systems designed to meet the needs of modern military operations.

The company’s unmanned aerial systems portfolio features platforms such as the Raven, Puma and Switchblade series, which are deployed by the U.S.