HighTower Advisors LLC Has $2.75 Million Stock Position in AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV

HighTower Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) by 32.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 8,723 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,114 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC’s holdings in AeroVironment were worth $2,747,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of AeroVironment by 14.3% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,478,114 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $991,089,000 after buying an additional 433,830 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the second quarter worth about $75,690,000. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 75.6% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 609,019 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $173,540,000 after purchasing an additional 262,239 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 550.7% during the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 178,204 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $56,115,000 after purchasing an additional 150,819 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 54.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 398,772 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $113,630,000 after purchasing an additional 139,880 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

NASDAQ:AVAV opened at $259.62 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 4.29 and a current ratio of 5.08. AeroVironment, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $102.25 and a fifty-two week high of $417.86. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $287.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $293.52. The company has a market capitalization of $12.96 billion, a PE ratio of -207.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.23.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total transaction of $50,184.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 5,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,504,014.48. This trade represents a 3.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Kevin Patrick Mcdonnell sold 879 shares of AeroVironment 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 completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 16,422 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,394,527.20. The trade was a 5.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 4,339 shares of company stock worth $1,353,910. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

More AeroVironment News

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: $186M U.S. Army delivery order for Switchblade systems — A $186 million delivery order for Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20 loitering munitions strengthens AVAV’s government backlog and provides visible near‑term revenue and cash flow. AV Receives $186 Million U.S. Army Delivery Order for Next-Generation Switchblade Systems
• Positive Sentiment: Sector tailwinds and analyst bullishness — Coverage notes aerospace/defense is outperforming the market, institutional buying is strong, and analysts’ consensus price target (~$367) implies meaningful upside; MarketBeat also highlights record contract awards and revenue guidance that support growth expectations. Defense Stocks Are Soaring—AeroVironment’s Earnings Could Close the Gap
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism: multiple analysts see large upside — Coverage (24/7 Wall St.) highlights 17 analysts projecting substantial upside ahead of earnings, which can lift sentiment and buying interest into the report. 17 Analysts See 42% Upside in AeroVironment as March Earnings Approach
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile endorsement — Jim Cramer called AVAV “a very good company, very well‑run,” which can boost retail sentiment and intraday buying. Jim Cramer on AeroVironment: “A Very Good Company, Very Well-Run”
• Neutral Sentiment: Stock movement vs. market — Several trade notes report AVAV advanced while the broader market declined; useful for short‑term momentum but not a fundamental driver. AeroVironment (AVAV) Advances While Market Declines
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data appears unreliable in recent feeds (reported as zeros); no clear short squeeze signal from available data.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin and execution headwinds remain — Coverage highlights compressed gross margins (mid‑20s in a recent quarter), one‑time Oracle implementation costs, revenue mix shifts after the BlueHalo acquisition, and a prior EPS miss — these factors keep upside contingent on margin recovery. Defense Stocks Are Soaring—AeroVironment’s Earnings Could Close the Gap
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish takes and “avoid” articles — Some pieces outline reasons to avoid AVAV (valuation sensitivity, recent share weakness, and execution risk), which can weigh on sentiment into earnings. 3 Reasons to Avoid AVAV and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AVAV has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Cantor Fitzgerald cut their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $450.00 price objective on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Friday, January 30th. Citizens Jmp reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and issued a $400.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $355.00 target price for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $367.00.

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.