AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading 7.8% Higher – Here’s What Happened

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) was up 7.8% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $266.21 and last traded at $262.99. Approximately 1,368,296 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 17% from the average daily volume of 1,656,600 shares. The stock had previously closed at $243.87.

AeroVironment News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and a $320 price target (roughly +21.7% vs. recent levels), providing a high‑profile analyst endorsement that can attract buyers and momentum flows. AeroVironment Stock Soars As JPMorgan Sets $320 Target
• Positive Sentiment: Sector narrative: coverage and commentary highlight that small drones are a durable part of U.S. and allied military strategy, supporting sustained demand for AVAV’s products and reinforcing the bullish analyst case. Why AeroVironment Stock Climbed Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation comparison pieces (e.g., CAE vs. AVAV) are circulating; these provide context for longer‑term investors but are less likely to move intraday trading than the JPMorgan initiation. CAE or AVAV: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short‑interest data in recent filings appears to show 0 shares / NaN changes — likely a reporting anomaly and not meaningful market pressure right now. (No actionable signal from short‑interest figures.)
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Director Stephen F. Page sold 500 shares at ~$254.95 (small relative to his ~50k share holding). While insider selling can be perceived negatively, this transaction is modest and not an obvious red flag for fundamentals. SEC Form 4

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on AVAV shares. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $415.00 price target on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. BNP Paribas Exane initiated coverage on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $355.00 price target for the company. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $373.35.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

The business has a 50-day moving average price of $284.20 and a 200-day moving average price of $293.78. The company has a quick ratio of 4.29, a current ratio of 5.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $13.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 91.34, a P/E/G ratio of 3.61 and a beta of 1.23.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last announced 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). AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 5.08% and a positive return on equity of 3.42%. The business had revenue of $472.51 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $466.16 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.47 earnings per share. The company’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. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other AeroVironment news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total transaction of $50,184.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Stephen F. Page sold 1,000 shares of AeroVironment stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $377.62, for a total value of $377,620.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 51,001 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,258,997.62. The trade was a 1.92% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 4,089 shares of company stock worth $1,285,160. 0.81% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of AeroVironment

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AVAV. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 60.0% during the 3rd quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new position in AeroVironment in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Tema Etfs LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in AeroVironment in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. increased its position in shares of 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 buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.