AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Director Sells $53,130.00 in Stock

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) Director Stephen Page sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.52, for a total value of $53,130.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 49,751 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,573,082.52. The trade was a 0.50% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

AeroVironment Stock Up 5.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:AVAV traded up $10.63 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $222.51. The company had a trading volume of 1,711,627 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,470,922. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 1-year low of $102.25 and a 1-year high of $417.86. The stock has a market cap of $11.11 billion, a PE ratio of -51.27, a P/E/G ratio of 3.69 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a quick ratio of 4.54, a current ratio of 5.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $277.39 and its 200 day moving average price is $292.13.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 10th. The aerospace company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.68 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $408.05 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $487.94 million. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 13.93% and a positive return on equity of 3.26%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 143.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.30 earnings per share. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.750-3.100 EPS. Research analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AVAV has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $486.00 to $429.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price objective on shares of AeroVironment from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Zacks Research cut shares of AeroVironment from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an “underperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, March 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $318.78.

Key Stories Impacting AeroVironment

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment completed the acquisition of Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) in a cash‑and‑stock deal valued at about $200 million, expanding AVAV’s engineering, AS9100 manufacturing, electric/hybrid propulsion and UAS/AAM capabilities — a clear strategic move to accelerate defense product development and manufacturing scale. AV Acquires Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile media coverage (CBS 60 Minutes) of AVAV’s laser/air‑defense technology and reports of rising backlog have boosted sentiment and visibility among defense customers and investors. AeroVironment Shows Lasers To Take Out Iran’s Drones. The Stock Is Rising.
• Neutral Sentiment: Q3 FY2026 revenue surged ~143% year‑over‑year to $408M, largely due to the BlueHalo contribution, showing rapid top‑line expansion driven by M&A — however, results missed consensus on EPS and revenue, making the impact mixed for near‑term valuation. AeroVironment Reports $408M FQ3 2026 Revenue
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent short‑interest entries in public data appear inconsistent (reported as 0 shares/NaN), so short‑squeeze or bearish pressure signals are unclear from those reads and shouldn’t be relied on as a definitive market driver.
• Negative Sentiment: Two law firms (Pomerantz; Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman) are soliciting investor inquiries and investigating claims related to AeroVironment, which can increase legal risk, create headline volatility and pressure sentiment. Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of AeroVironment, Inc.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts reacted to the mixed quarter: BTIG cut its price target (while keeping a Buy), and media coverage highlighted concerns that the ESAero deal increases growth ambitions while AVAV still faces profitability and execution challenges — factors that can cap near‑term upside. AeroVironment’s ESAero Deal Tests Growth Ambitions Against Mounting Losses

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AeroVironment

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its position in shares of AeroVironment by 31.2% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 5,091 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $1,235,000 after purchasing an additional 1,210 shares during the period. Mengis Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 61.2% during the 4th quarter. Mengis Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,501 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $363,000 after buying an additional 570 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the 4th quarter worth about $195,000. MidFirst Bank acquired a new position in AeroVironment in the 4th quarter valued at about $40,000. Finally, Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its stake in AeroVironment by 45.5% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 6,084 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $1,472,000 after buying an additional 1,902 shares during the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

AeroVironment Company Profile

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.