AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Earns Market Outperform Rating from Citizens Jmp

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV)‘s stock had its “market outperform” rating reaffirmed by equities researchers at Citizens Jmp in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $400.00 price objective on the aerospace company’s stock. Citizens Jmp’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 64.02% from the stock’s current price.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the company. KeyCorp lifted their target price on AeroVironment from $285.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price objective on AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $400.00 price target on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $378.06.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

AeroVironment stock opened at $243.87 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $284.98 and a 200-day moving average of $293.59. AeroVironment has a 1 year low of $102.25 and a 1 year high of $417.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 5.08 and a quick ratio of 4.29. The company has a market capitalization of $12.18 billion, a P/E ratio of -195.10, a P/E/G ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 1.23.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.87 by ($0.43). AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 3.42% and a negative net margin of 5.08%.The business had revenue of $472.51 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $466.16 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.47 earnings per share. The firm’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. On average, equities research analysts predict that AeroVironment will post 3.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 1,000 shares of AeroVironment stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $377.62, for a total value of $377,620.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 51,001 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,258,997.62. The trade was a 1.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total transaction of $50,184.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 5,994 shares in the company, valued at $1,504,014.48. This trade represents a 3.23% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 3,589 shares of company stock valued at $1,157,685 over the last ninety days. 0.81% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AeroVironment

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Groupama Asset Managment bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the 3rd quarter worth $314,890,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in AeroVironment by 14.3% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,478,114 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $991,089,000 after buying an additional 433,830 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the fourth quarter valued at $94,655,000. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 24,798.7% during the third quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 315,716 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $99,416,000 after buying an additional 314,448 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of AeroVironment by 75.6% during the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 609,019 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $173,540,000 after acquiring an additional 262,239 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

AeroVironment News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. Army deployed AVAV’s LOCUST counter‑drone laser near El Paso, triggering a temporary seven‑hour airspace shutdown — strong product validation and a high‑profile fielding by a major customer that can support future contract wins and revenue visibility. Exclusive: AeroVironment’s LOCUST counter-drone laser used by US Army near El Paso airport, sources say
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Citizens Jmp reaffirmed a “market outperform” view and put a $400 price target on AVAV — a sizable upside that can attract buyers and help underpin the rally if follow‑through on defense program wins continues. Benzinga / TickerReport note on analyst reaffirmation
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest filings for mid‑February show “0” shorted shares and a 0.0 days‑to‑cover figure — this appears to be a reporting anomaly rather than a meaningful change in short positions and should not be interpreted as a shift in short‑seller sentiment. (No reliable source link available)
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CFO Kevin McDonnell sold 879 shares (~5% reduction in his disclosed holding), a transaction disclosed to the SEC. Media coverage tied the sale to a near‑term price pullback (some outlets reported ~7.5% weakness after the sale), which can amplify short‑term selling pressure and investor caution. AeroVironment Stock Price Down 7.5% Following Insider Selling SEC Form 4 (CFO sale)

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.