Principal Financial Group Inc. Acquires 166,903 Shares of AAR Corp. $AIR

Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) by 35.2% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 640,707 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after acquiring an additional 166,903 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in AAR were worth $57,452,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in shares of AAR in the third quarter valued at $30,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in AAR in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new position in AAR during the 3rd quarter valued at about $39,000. Simplex Trading LLC bought a new stake in shares of AAR during the second quarter valued at about $103,000. Finally, Ethic Inc. bought a new stake in shares of AAR during the third quarter valued at about $206,000. 90.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

AAR Stock Performance

AAR stock opened at $107.03 on Thursday. AAR Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $46.51 and a fifty-two week high of $110.39. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $91.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $83.64. The stock has a market cap of $4.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.97 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 2.84.

AAR (NYSE:AIR) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 6th. The aerospace company reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.16. AAR had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 3.17%.The business had revenue of $795.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $760.95 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.90 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 15.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that AAR Corp. will post 3.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AIR has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AAR from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price target on shares of AAR from $90.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $112.00 price target on shares of AAR and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Truist Financial set a $107.00 price objective on AAR in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of AAR in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $110.80.

More AAR News

Here are the key news stories impacting AAR this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AAR’s recent quarterly report showed revenue and EPS upside and rising year‑over‑year sales, supporting analyst upgrades and a consensus “Moderate Buy.” Institutional coverage has trended constructive, with several firms raising targets or upgrading ratings. MarketBeat AAR Profile & Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Industry commentary points to robust demand for aircraft components and aftermarket services — AAR’s core businesses — which underpins upside potential in its MRO and supply-chain segments. AAR Jets Higher on Robust Demand
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and sector pieces highlight AAR’s relative performance versus peers (e.g., BWXT) and broader aerospace trends; useful context but not an immediate catalyst. Zacks: Aerospace Stocks & AAR
• Neutral Sentiment: Market chatter about unusual options activity has drawn attention, but reporting is exploratory — could reflect positioning rather than firm-specific news. MSN Options Flow Article
• Negative Sentiment: CEO John McClain Holmes III sold 10,000 shares (≈$108.44 avg) on Feb. 3 — part of a string of recent insider sales — which can weigh on sentiment even though he retains a sizable holding. CEO Form 4 (SEC)
• Negative Sentiment: CFO Sarah Louise Flanagan sold 10,750 shares (≈$108.56 avg) on Feb. 4, reducing her stake by ~24.7% — another near-term negative catalyst for the stock’s tone. CFO Form 4 (SEC)

Insider Transactions at AAR

In related news, CAO Jessica A. Garascia sold 4,787 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.25, for a total transaction of $455,961.75. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 29,557 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,815,304.25. This trade represents a 13.94% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Christopher A. Jessup sold 23,621 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.05, for a total value of $2,292,418.05. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 65,769 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,382,881.45. This represents a 26.42% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders sold 128,984 shares of company stock valued at $12,517,090. 3.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

AAR Company Profile

AAR Corp. (NYSE: AIR) is a global provider of aviation products and services to commercial, government and defense customers. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions, component repair and overhaul, and engineering services designed to support a wide variety of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Leveraging FAA and EASA certifications, AAR delivers turnkey maintenance programs and ad hoc repair services that enhance aircraft availability and reliability.

In its Aviation Supply Chain Services segment, AAR sources, stores and distributes parts for both commercial airlines and military operators.