AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading Down 1.4% – Here’s What Happened
by Sarita Garza · The Markets DailyShares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV – Get Free Report) were down 1.4% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $300.00 and last traded at $307.75. Approximately 1,013,487 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 49% from the average daily volume of 1,973,172 shares. The stock had previously closed at $312.12.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research firms recently commented on AVAV. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $450.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on AeroVironment from $295.00 to $389.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald dropped their price objective on shares of AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $267.00 to $350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Two equities research 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.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $375.41.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on AeroVironment
AeroVironment Price Performance
The firm has a market capitalization of $15.37 billion, a PE ratio of -246.20, a PEG ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 1.16. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $286.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $292.36. The company has a quick ratio of 4.29, a current ratio of 5.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16.
AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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 analysts’ expectations of $466.16 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.47 EPS. 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. Equities analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Insider Activity
In related news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 1,000 shares of AeroVironment stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $377.62, for a total value of $377,620.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 51,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,258,997.62. The trade was a 1.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total value of $50,184.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer 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 ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 3,223 shares of company stock worth $1,092,503 over the last 90 days. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On AeroVironment
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC increased its position 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 worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. boosted its stake in AeroVironment by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth $25,000. ORG Partners LLC raised its position in shares of AeroVironment by 296.0% in the second quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 99 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RMG Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.
AeroVironment Company Profile
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.