AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading 3.6% Higher – Here’s Why

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) was up 3.6% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $196.32 and last traded at $196.02. 981,632 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 40% from the average session volume of 1,640,005 shares. The stock had previously closed at $189.15.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have weighed in on AVAV shares. Citigroup reissued a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Wedbush started coverage on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of AeroVironment from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $248.00 to $235.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $266.68.

AeroVironment Trading Up 3.6%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 4.30 and a quick ratio of 3.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -53.27, a PEG ratio of 6.35 and a beta of 1.41. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $162.89 and a 200-day simple moving average of $197.61.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 3.71% and a negative net margin of 9.00%.The company had revenue of $641.62 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $555.97 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.61 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 133.3% compared to the same quarter last year. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.41, for a total transaction of $43,602.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 49,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AeroVironment

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in AVAV. Legacy Bridge LLC raised its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Legacy Bridge LLC now owns 4,046 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $979,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the period. NewEdge Wealth LLC boosted its stake in AeroVironment by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 3,709 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $897,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in AeroVironment by 3.7% in the 4th quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 1,081 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $261,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its holdings in AeroVironment by 29.7% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 188 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC raised its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 10.5% in the 4th quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 495 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $120,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

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.