AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Stock Lifted to “Hold” by Rothschild & Co Redburn

Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded shares of AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) to a hold rating in a report released on Tuesday,Zacks reports.

AVAV has been the subject of several other research reports. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on AeroVironment from $225.00 to $185.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 11th. William Blair reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on AeroVironment from $200.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $228.37.

AeroVironment Price Performance

AeroVironment stock opened at $143.54 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $157.45 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $169.05. AeroVironment has a 12 month low of $135.20 and a 12 month high of $417.86. The company has a market capitalization of $7.29 billion, a PE ratio of -61.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a current ratio of 4.26, a quick ratio of 3.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 5.77% and a positive return on equity of 4.04%. The business had revenue of $480.49 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.95 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.32 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. Analysts expect that AeroVironment will post 3.25 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In related news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.27, for a total transaction of $38,067.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 48,253 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,347,484.31. This trade represents a 0.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Brian Shackley sold 205 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.86, for a total value of $41,381.30. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 7,888 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,592,271.68. This represents a 2.53% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 805 shares of company stock valued at $142,671. Company insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of AeroVironment

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of AVAV. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in AeroVironment during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the first quarter valued at about $28,000. MidFirst Bank bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 4th quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Toth Financial Advisory Corp bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about AeroVironment

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Robust Switchblade demand and backlog: AeroVironment reported approximately $1.5 billion in funded backlog and another $1.4 billion in unfunded backlog at the end of fiscal 2027’s first quarter. Major military contracts for its Switchblade systems provide visibility into future revenue. Should Investors Buy the Dip in AeroVironment or Wait for Profitability?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst maintains bullish view: BTIG reiterated a Buy rating and a $205 price target, citing strength in directed-energy and counter-drone systems. The target implies meaningful upside from recent trading levels. AeroVironment Maintained at Buy as Analyst Keeps $205 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Broad analyst valuation support: AeroVironment reportedly has a consensus price target of $231.89, reinforcing the view that analysts see longer-term upside despite recent weakness. AeroVironment Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $231.89
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer comparison highlights AVAV’s positioning: Commentary contrasting AeroVironment with Ondas Holdings portrays AVAV as the more established defense contractor, but suggests investors are comparing companies with different revenue, profitability and risk profiles. Ondas Is Priced Like a Defense Contractor. AeroVironment Actually Is One.
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains a concern: Investors are debating whether to buy the dip or wait because AeroVironment continues to face profitability concerns. Its valuation depends heavily on execution, backlog conversion and sustained defense spending. Should Investors Buy the Dip in AeroVironment or Wait for Profitability?

AeroVironment Company Profile

AeroVironment, Inc is a defense technology company that develops and supplies autonomous systems, uncrewed aircraft, loitering munitions and counter-uncrewed-aircraft systems. Its portfolio includes small unmanned aircraft systems such as Raven, Puma and Wasp, as well as larger platforms including JUMP 20 and Quantix Recon.

The company is also known for its Switchblade family of loitering munitions, which combine surveillance, target identification and precision strike capabilities. AeroVironment provides related ground control systems, sensors, software, communications equipment, training and support services for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Founded in 1971 by aerospace engineer Paul B.