Piper Sandler Cuts AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Price Target to $290.00

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) had its target price reduced by Piper Sandler from $391.00 to $290.00 in a research note published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. Piper Sandler currently has an overweight rating on the aerospace company’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on AVAV. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Citigroup reissued a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Monday, January 12th. KeyCorp upped their price objective on shares of AeroVironment from $285.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $415.00 price objective on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $390.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $348.33.

AeroVironment Price Performance

NASDAQ:AVAV opened at $220.56 on Tuesday. AeroVironment has a 12-month low of $102.25 and a 12-month high of $417.86. The firm has a market cap of $11.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -176.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 1.26. The company’s 50-day moving average is $284.65 and its two-hundred day moving average is $292.75. The company has a current ratio of 5.08, a quick ratio of 4.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 earnings per share 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 analyst estimates of $466.16 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.47 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 150.7% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. Research analysts expect that AeroVironment will post 3.38 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at AeroVironment

In other news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total value of $50,184.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 5,994 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,504,014.48. This trade represents a 3.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Stephen F. Page sold 1,000 shares of AeroVironment stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $377.62, for a total transaction of $377,620.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 51,001 shares in the company, valued at $19,258,997.62. The trade was a 1.92% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 4,589 shares of company stock worth $1,428,910. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 60.0% in the third quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its position in AeroVironment by 100.0% in the third quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the third quarter valued at $31,000. 86.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting AeroVironment

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment won a new $97.4 million U.S. Army contract, which supports near‑term revenue visibility and reinforces defense-demand momentum. AeroVironment Bags $97.4 Million Army Contract As Defense Spending Momentum Builds
• Positive Sentiment: Management announced a ~ $30 million domestic manufacturing expansion (Albuquerque) to scale production — a positive signal that the company expects sustained, higher-volume orders. AeroVironment (AVAV) Rebounds 9.6% on Manufacturing Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Jefferies reiterated a Buy rating (high target retained), offering analyst support that can limit downside from headline volatility. Jefferies Reiterates “Buy” Rating for AeroVironment
• Positive Sentiment: Company-provided updates on the Space Force SCAR work briefly lifted sentiment by suggesting the situation may be resolvable rather than a lost program. AeroVironment shares rise on update for Space Force SCAR contract
• Neutral Sentiment: AVAV will present at the J.P. Morgan Industrials Conference (March 18) — an opportunity for management to clarify guidance and contract progress (near‑term informational event). AeroVironment, Inc. to Present at J.P. Morgan 2026 Industrials Conference
• Neutral Sentiment: Several analysts trimmed price targets (RBC, Piper, Canaccord, Baird) but many kept buy/outperform views — signaling disagreement on near‑term execution risk vs. long‑term demand. Canaccord Slashes AeroVironment Target From $400 to $330 but Holds Buy
• Negative Sentiment: Raymond James downgraded AVAV to Underperform and commentary about the SCAR re‑competition triggered a sharp selloff earlier in the week — this downgrade is a primary driver of today’s weakness. AeroVironment shares dive after Raymond James downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. Space Force reopened/rea llocated bidding on the ~ $1.4B SCAR program, creating execution and revenue timing uncertainty around AeroVironment’s largest recorded contract — the principal near‑term risk. AeroVironment Faces SCAR Contract Test While New Orders Support Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling (director sold 250 shares) and a spate of analyst target cuts add to sentiment pressure even as institution ownership remains high. SEC Form 4 – Insider Sale

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.