Key Points
- Insider sale: Director Stephen Page sold 250 shares on March 2 at an average price of $300 for $75,000, reducing his stake by 0.50% to 50,001 shares (about $15.0M).
- Shares jumped about 9.6% after AeroVironment announced a roughly $30M manufacturing expansion and received bullish analyst support, though volatility remains from Space Force SCAR contract uncertainty and a Raymond James downgrade.
- The company reported a quarterly EPS miss ($0.44 vs. $0.87 consensus) but revenue was up 150.7% YoY; AeroVironment set FY2026 guidance of 3.400–3.550 EPS and carries a consensus analyst rating of "Moderate Buy" with a $348.33 target.
AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) Director Stephen Page sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $300.00, for a total transaction of $75,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 50,001 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $15,000,300. The trade was a 0.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.
AeroVironment Stock Up 9.6%
AVAV stock opened at $228.30 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.40 billion, a P/E ratio of -182.64, a P/E/G ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 5.08 and a quick ratio of 4.29. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 1-year low of $102.25 and a 1-year high of $417.86. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $286.15 and a 200-day moving average price of $293.73.
AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results 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). The business 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%.AeroVironment's quarterly revenue was up 150.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.47 EPS. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Key AeroVironment News
Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Company announced a planned manufacturing expansion with a roughly $30 million investment — investors viewed this as a capacity and revenue-growth signal that helped lift the stock. AeroVironment (AVAV) Rebounds 9.6% on Manufacturing Expansion
- Positive Sentiment: Jefferies reaffirmed its Buy rating and kept a high $390 price target, framing recent weakness as overdone — a major bullish analyst backstop for the stock. Jefferies Reiterates Buy for AeroVironment
- Positive Sentiment: Company and media updates indicate AV is in active negotiations and has provided constructive updates on its U.S. Space Force SCAR work — signals that the contract situation may be resolvable and reduce downside risk. AeroVironment shares rise on update for Space Force SCAR contract
- Positive Sentiment: Broader defense-sector strength (geopolitical tensions and related U.S. military activity) is boosting demand expectations for drone and tactical systems, providing cyclical tailwinds for AVAV. Why Is AeroVironment Stock Soaring?
- Neutral Sentiment: Several banks trimmed price targets (RBC from $375 to $325; Baird and Piper also cut targets) but many kept Outperform/Overweight ratings — suggests analysts still see upside even as near‑term PTs were adjusted. RBC cuts price target on AeroVironment to $325
- Negative Sentiment: Raymond James downgraded AVAV to Underperform (and commentary about SCAR re‑competition) triggered a heavy selloff earlier in the week — the downgrade and the Space Force re‑bid news caused sharp downside volatility and remain key near‑term risk factors. AeroVironment shares dive after Raymond James downgrade
- Negative Sentiment: News that the Space Force may reopen a ~ $1.4B rebid for mobile ground suppliers created contract-execution uncertainty — this is the primary driver of the earlier 15–17% one‑day drop and remains the principal downside catalyst. AeroVironment tumbles as Space Force eyes more mobile ground suppliers
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $391.00 to $290.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $375.00 to $325.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $415.00 price objective on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Raymond James Financial restated an "underperform" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Monday. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a "market outperform" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, January 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, AeroVironment presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $348.33.
Check Out Our Latest Report on AVAV
Hedge Funds Weigh In On AeroVironment
A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC boosted 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 worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. increased its position in shares of AeroVironment by 100.0% during 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 during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth $25,000. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in AeroVironment during the third quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the third quarter worth $31,000. 86.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
AeroVironment Company Profile
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Get Free Report)
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.
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