AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading 3.1% Higher – Here’s Why

Shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) traded up 3.1% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $147.33 and last traded at $146.57. Approximately 942,754 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 43% from the average daily volume of 1,661,735 shares. The stock had previously closed at $142.12.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have commented on AVAV shares. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $305.00 to $229.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $225.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Clear Str upgraded shares of AeroVironment to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of AeroVironment from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, AeroVironment currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $266.68.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 3.59, a current ratio of 4.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.42 billion, a PE ratio of -39.83, a P/E/G ratio of 5.32 and a beta of 1.39. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $166.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $209.14.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 9.00% and a positive return on equity of 3.71%. The firm had revenue of $641.62 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $555.97 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.61 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 133.3% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at AeroVironment

In other news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of AeroVironment stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.41, for a total transaction of $43,602.50. Following the transaction, the director owned 49,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AeroVironment

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of AVAV. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Tema Etfs LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. National Bank of Canada FI increased its stake in AeroVironment by 230.3% in the 3rd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 109 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the period. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. increased its stake in AeroVironment by 90.0% in the 4th quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 133 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in AeroVironment in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. 86.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.