AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Trading Down 1.1% – Should You Sell?

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV)’s share price was down 1.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $191.18 and last traded at $193.81. Approximately 1,013,044 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 38% from the average daily volume of 1,635,854 shares. The stock had previously closed at $196.02.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AVAV has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wedbush started coverage on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on AeroVironment from $315.00 to $220.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $266.68.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 4.30, a quick ratio of 3.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.81 billion, a P/E ratio of -52.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.43 and a beta of 1.41. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $162.72 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $196.74.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last issued its earnings results on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 9.00% and a positive return on equity of 3.71%. The firm had revenue of $641.62 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $555.97 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.61 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 133.3% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.41, for a total transaction of $43,602.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 49,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.81% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AeroVironment

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. National Bank of Canada FI grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 230.3% in the third quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 109 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the period. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. grew its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 90.0% in the fourth quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 133 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the first quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Finally, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. raised its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 73.8% during the fourth quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 139 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 59 shares during the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.