AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) CAO Sells $41,381.30 in Stock

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 205 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $201.86, for a total value of $41,381.30. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 7,888 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,592,271.68. This represents a 2.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

Shares of AVAV stock opened at $192.81 on Monday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $162.61 and a 200 day moving average of $194.30. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 52 week low of $135.20 and a 52 week high of $417.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -52.39, a PEG ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a quick ratio of 3.59, a current ratio of 4.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have weighed in on AVAV. Zacks Research raised AeroVironment from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their target price on AeroVironment from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 10th. William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered AeroVironment to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $266.68.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AeroVironment

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. American Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the second quarter valued at approximately $69,745,000. Freestone Grove Partners LP purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $58,000. Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,387,000. AWM Investment Company Inc. bought a new position in AeroVironment during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $24,250,000. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment during the second quarter valued at $3,615,000. Institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

AeroVironment News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones and critical components. The policy is intended to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains and could give U.S. manufacturers such as AeroVironment a competitive advantage, potentially increasing demand for domestic systems. Trump administration imposes sweeping tariffs on foreign drone imports
• Positive Sentiment: AVAV is participating in a wider rally among domestic drone and defense stocks, including Kratos, Red Cat and Ondas, as investors anticipate that tariff protection could shift business toward U.S.-based suppliers. AeroVironment, Ondas, and Kratos Rising as Trump Levies Tariffs on Drone Imports
• Positive Sentiment: Recent momentum has also been supported by strong defense demand, a reported $117.3 million Army contract and a new autonomous-systems partnership. These developments reinforce the view that AeroVironment could benefit from sustained military procurement. AVAV Outperforms Industry in the Past Month
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive, with Clear Street maintaining a Buy rating, but valuation models suggest the shares may be near fair value after substantial long-term gains. Investors may therefore require continued contract wins and execution to justify further appreciation. Clear Street Remains a Buy on AeroVironment
• Negative Sentiment: One updated valuation analysis lowered its implied fair value estimate from approximately $251.93 to $225.77 per share, citing execution risk, heavier investment needs and elevated valuation following sharply revised expectations. This could limit upside if tariff-related benefits take time to materialize. AeroVironment Stock Sees Fair Value Cut

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.