AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading 3.8% Higher – Still a Buy?

Shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) rose 3.8% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $408.25 and last traded at $392.86. Approximately 2,018,381 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 6% from the average daily volume of 1,902,616 shares. The stock had previously closed at $378.57.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of AeroVironment to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, January 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $375.41.

AeroVironment Stock Up 3.8%

The company has a quick ratio of 4.29, a current ratio of 5.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $284.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $290.09. The company has a market capitalization of $19.62 billion, a P/E ratio of -314.29, a PEG ratio of 5.80 and a beta of 1.16.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.87 by ($0.43). The company had revenue of $472.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $466.16 million. AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 3.42% and a negative net margin of 5.08%.AeroVironment’s revenue for the quarter was up 150.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.47 EPS. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 15th. The shares were 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $19,258,997.62. This represents a 1.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Kevin Patrick Mcdonnell sold 999 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $367.60, for a total value of $367,232.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 17,301 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,359,847.60. This trade represents a 5.46% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 3,223 shares of company stock valued at $1,092,503. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of AeroVironment

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in AeroVironment by 60.0% during the 3rd quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tema Etfs LLC purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. ORG Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 296.0% during the second quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 99 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares in the last quarter. Finally, RMG Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. 86.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.