AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-three brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation, nineteen have assigned a buy recommendation and two have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $375.4118.

AVAV has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on AeroVironment from $486.00 to $429.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of AeroVironment from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $390.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Thursday, September 18th. They set a “buy” rating and a $300.00 price objective for the company.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In other AeroVironment news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total transaction of $50,184.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 5,994 shares in the company, valued at $1,504,014.48. This trade represents a 3.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Kevin Patrick Mcdonnell sold 513 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.46, for a total transaction of $170,038.98. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 18,811 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,235,094.06. The trade was a 2.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 1,224 shares of company stock valued at $347,651 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AeroVironment

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AVAV. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 60.0% during 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 during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new stake in AeroVironment during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. ORG Partners LLC grew its position in AeroVironment by 296.0% during the 2nd quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 99 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted 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 purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting AeroVironment

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Major U.S. Army drone award flow and contract wins are being cited as the primary catalyst lifting sentiment and volumes; media coverage highlights a cluster of Army awards that materially improve AVAV’s addressable backlog and growth outlook. AeroVironment (AVAV) Is Up 31.7% After Major U.S. Army Drone Awards Has The Bull Case Changed?
• Positive Sentiment: Piper Sandler reaffirmed its Buy rating on AVAV, supporting investor confidence and reinforcing the bullish narrative from sell‑side coverage. Piper Sandler Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on AeroVironment (AVAV)
• Positive Sentiment: Partner win: Parry Labs will integrate MOSA-aligned mission systems into AV’s P550 UAS for the Army’s Long Range Reconnaissance program, strengthening AVAV’s product competitiveness on key military programs. Parry Labs Advances Modular Mission Systems in AV’s P550™ for Army LRR Program
• Positive Sentiment: Recent Wall Street starts and upgrades (e.g., KeyBanc/other coverage) underline continued institutional interest in AVAV’s defense/leverage story. Where is AeroVironment (AVAV) Headed According to Wall Street?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market conversation on valuation: several commentaries ask whether the run (roughly +100% over 1 year) leaves AVAV overvalued, prompting some profit‑taking and debate about upside from here. Is It Too Late To Consider AeroVironment (AVAV) After A 111% One-Year Surge?
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large call-option activity was reported, indicating speculative or hedged bullish positioning that likely amplified intraday moves.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution and downgrades: at least one note argued AVAV is “flying too high” and trimmed ratings/targets, which could cap near-term upside if revisions accelerate. AeroVironment: This Drone Stock Is Flying Too High (Rating Downgrade)
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/investor risk: Pomerantz launched an investor investigation into AVAV, adding regulatory/legal overhang that could pressure sentiment if it develops. INVESTOR ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of Aerovironment, Inc. – AVAV
• Negative Sentiment: Fundamental caution: AVAV’s Dec. quarterly report missed EPS expectations (though revenue grew sharply) and the company trimmed prior guidance, a backdrop that some investors cite when judging sustainability of the rally.

AeroVironment Price Performance

AVAV stock opened at $364.99 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $282.00 and a 200-day moving average of $285.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.22 billion, a P/E ratio of -291.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 1.16. AeroVironment has a 12 month low of $102.25 and a 12 month high of $417.86. 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 earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.43). The firm had revenue of $472.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $466.16 million. AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 3.42% and a negative net margin of 5.08%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 150.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.47 earnings per share. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AeroVironment will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.