Traders Purchase Large Volume of AeroVironment Call Options (NASDAQ:AVAV)

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Stock investors bought 14,547 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 73% compared to the average daily volume of 8,386 call options.

AeroVironment Stock Up 10.7%

AVAV opened at $190.89 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $9.66 billion, a P/E ratio of -51.87, a P/E/G ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 1.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 4.30 and a quick ratio of 4.54. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $175.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $223.75. AeroVironment has a fifty-two week low of $135.20 and a fifty-two week high of $417.86.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.37. The company had revenue of $641.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $555.97 million. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 9.00% and a positive return on equity of 3.71%. The business’s revenue was up 133.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.61 EPS. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that AeroVironment will post 3.34 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at AeroVironment

In related news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.41, for a total value of $43,602.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 49,001 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 750 shares of company stock valued at $133,502 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Legacy Bridge LLC increased its position in AeroVironment by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Legacy Bridge LLC now owns 4,046 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $979,000 after buying an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 3,709 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $897,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 1,081 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $261,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 29.7% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 188 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank increased its stake in AeroVironment by 72.1% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 105 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on AVAV. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $300.00 to $280.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Monday, June 8th. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of AeroVironment to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Citizens Jmp reiterated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $350.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $205.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $277.37.

Key AeroVironment News

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment won a new $500 million U.S. Department of Defense contract for counter-drone systems, reinforcing demand for its anti-unmanned aerial capabilities and supporting revenue visibility. AeroVironment Stock Rises On $500 Million Counter-Drone Contract
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s recent earnings report was a major beat, with revenue and EPS topping expectations and driving renewed confidence in its growth outlook. AVAV Stock Skyrockets as AeroVironment Reports Blockbuster Q4 Earnings Results
• Positive Sentiment: Wedbush upgraded AeroVironment to strong-buy, while Piper Sandler reiterated overweight with a higher target, signaling continued analyst optimism. AeroVironment was upgraded by Wedbush from “outperform” to “strong-buy”
• Positive Sentiment: Options activity skewed bullish, with unusual call buying pointing to trader expectations for further upside. AeroVironment was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Thursday
• Neutral Sentiment: Several investor-law firms issued deadline reminders tied to a securities class action, which adds headline noise but does not change the company’s operating fundamentals. AVAV Lawsuit Notification: AeroVironment Investors Bring Securities Class Action Following SCAR Contract Cancellation
• Negative Sentiment: The class-action filings and July 27 lead-plaintiff deadline could keep legal risk in focus and weigh on sentiment if investors worry about potential litigation costs or disclosure issues. AeroVironment, Inc. Notice of July 27, 2026 Application Deadline for Class Action Lawsuit

About AeroVironment

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.