Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV – Free Report) by 1,587.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 97,890 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after buying an additional 92,090 shares during the quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in AeroVironment were worth $23,679,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. raised its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 100.0% in 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 period. AlphaQuest LLC acquired a new stake in AeroVironment during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Smithfield Trust Co acquired a new stake in AeroVironment during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in AeroVironment during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Huntington National Bank grew its position in shares of AeroVironment by 72.1% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 105 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research analysts have recently commented on AVAV shares. UBS Group decreased their target price on AeroVironment from $259.00 to $236.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Weiss Ratings downgraded AeroVironment from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on AeroVironment from $391.00 to $290.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price objective on AeroVironment from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised AeroVironment from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $318.78.
Key AeroVironment News
Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:
- Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced or reiterated securities class-action claims against AeroVironment, saying investors who bought shares between June 25, 2025 and March 10, 2026 may pursue recovery, with a lead-plaintiff deadline of July 27, 2026. Article: AVAV Investors Have Opportunity to Lead AeroVironment, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit with the Schall Law Firm
- Negative Sentiment: The complaints allege AeroVironment and certain executives made false or misleading statements, including claims tied to the company’s $1.7 billion SCAR contract, which raises uncertainty and potential legal costs. Article: SueWallSt Reminds Shareholders of a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of July 27, 2026 in AeroVironment, Inc. Lawsuit – AVAV
- Neutral Sentiment: Additional firms, including Faruqi & Faruqi, Rosen, Pomerantz, Robbins Geller, Berger Montague, and others, issued investor alerts about the same lawsuit, extending the news flow but adding little new business information. Article: AVAV INVESTOR ACTION: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Reminds AeroVironment (AVAV) Investors of Securities Class Action Deadline on July 27, 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: A market note also said AeroVironment and peer Kratos Defense were trading lower, likely reflecting broader weakness in defense-drone names alongside the lawsuit headlines. Article: AeroVironment and Kratos stocks trade down, what you need to know
AeroVironment Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ:AVAV opened at $185.92 on Friday. AeroVironment, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $156.00 and a fifty-two week high of $417.86. The business has a 50-day moving average of $184.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $238.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.28 billion, a P/E ratio of -42.84, a P/E/G ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 5.51 and a quick ratio of 4.54.
AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 10th. The aerospace company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.68 by ($0.04). AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 13.93% and a positive return on equity of 3.26%. The firm had revenue of $408.05 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $487.94 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.30 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 143.4% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.750-3.100 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 2.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Insider Buying and Selling at AeroVironment
In related news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.52, for a total transaction of $42,504.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 5,794 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,231,340.88. This trade represents a 3.34% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.52, for a total value of $53,130.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 49,751 shares in the company, valued at $10,573,082.52. The trade was a 0.50% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 1,346 shares of company stock worth $274,456. Insiders own 0.81% 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.
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