AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV Stake Increased by ARS Investment Partners LLC

Key Points

• ARS Investment Partners LLC massively increased its AeroVironment stake in the first quarter, boosting holdings by 1,867.8% to 65,351 shares worth about $12 million.
• Several other hedge funds also adjusted positions, while 86.38% of AVAV stock is held by institutional investors, underscoring strong Wall Street ownership.
• Analysts remain generally constructive but have cut price targets in recent reports; MarketBeat shows AeroVironment with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average target price of $318.78.

ARS Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Free Report) by 1,867.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 65,351 shares of the aerospace company's stock after acquiring an additional 62,030 shares during the quarter. ARS Investment Partners LLC owned approximately 0.13% of AeroVironment worth $11,963,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Tema Etfs LLC bought a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. grew its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank grew its stake in AeroVironment by 72.1% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 105 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.41, for a total value of $43,602.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 49,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 750 shares of company stock worth $133,502. Insiders own 0.81% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AVAV has been the topic of several research reports. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on AeroVironment from $391.00 to $290.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. KeyCorp decreased their target price on AeroVironment from $330.00 to $295.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Raymond James Financial upgraded AeroVironment from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on AeroVironment from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on AeroVironment from $260.00 to $235.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, AeroVironment presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $318.78.

More AeroVironment News

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Negative Sentiment: A class action has been filed against AeroVironment, and multiple law firms are urging investors to come forward before the July 27 lead-plaintiff deadline, signaling ongoing legal overhang for the company. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Several additional firms issued nearly identical investor alerts on June 18-19, reinforcing concerns about the securities lawsuit and keeping litigation risk front and center for AVAV shareholders. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One notice specifically references alleged securities fraud tied to the class period from June 25, 2025 through March 10, 2026, which may keep pressure on the stock until more clarity emerges. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: AeroVironment also announced an investor day in New York on July 8, which could help rebuild confidence if management provides a strong business outlook and strategic updates. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Separately, AVAV shares had recently moved higher than the broader market, suggesting some traders may still see value or expect a rebound despite the litigation headlines. Article Title

AeroVironment Price Performance

AeroVironment stock opened at $169.61 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 4.54 and a current ratio of 5.51. AeroVironment, Inc. has a one year low of $156.00 and a one year high of $417.86. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $182.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $231.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.47 billion, a P/E ratio of -39.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 1.35.

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.

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