Equitable Holdings Inc. Makes New Investment in AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV

Equitable Holdings Inc. bought a new stake in AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 7,044 shares of the aerospace company's stock, valued at approximately $1,163,000.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in AVAV. Centaurus Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $320,000. Coastal Bridge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in AeroVironment in the second quarter valued at approximately $461,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in AeroVironment in the second quarter worth approximately $1,806,000. Capstone Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment in the second quarter worth approximately $1,621,000. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP acquired a new stake in AeroVironment during the second quarter worth $232,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.38% of the company's stock.

AeroVironment Trading Down 2.9%

NASDAQ AVAV opened at $147.94 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $159.76 and a 200-day simple moving average of $186.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 3.59 and a current ratio of 4.30. AeroVironment, Inc. has a one year low of $135.20 and a one year high of $417.86. The firm has a market cap of $7.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -40.20, a PEG ratio of 5.20 and a beta of 1.41.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.37. The firm had revenue of $641.62 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $555.97 million. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 9.00% and a positive return on equity of 3.71%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 133.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.61 EPS. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have commented on AVAV. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their target price on AeroVironment from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d)" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, June 8th. KeyCorp reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Needham & Company LLC restated a "buy" rating and issued a $225.00 price objective on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $205.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $266.68.

AeroVironment News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment received a $51 million U.S. Army order for additional Switchblade 600 loitering munitions. The award reinforces demand for the company’s autonomous weapons systems and supports production expansion ahead of first-quarter earnings. AVAV Stock Rises Overnight: AeroVironment Pockets $51M Army Contract Ahead Of Q1 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory selected AeroVironment to co-design and co-manufacture three helicopters for the SkyFall Mars mission, potentially launching in 2028. The project broadens AVAV’s unmanned-systems expertise beyond defense and has moved into a formally funded science program. AeroVironment to co-manufacture helicopters for Mars with NASA
• Positive Sentiment: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, citing strong loitering-munitions demand and the potential for an Army E-HEL laser contract to offset near-term revenue pressure. Analysts also point to AVAV’s multibillion-dollar backlog and international expansion as longer-term supports. Louie DiPalma Reiterates Buy on AeroVironment
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will present at the Jefferies Global Industrials Conference on September 10, giving investors a potential update on orders, production capacity and the outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Shares have declined from their 52-week peak and trade below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, signaling continued bearish momentum. Investors may also be concerned that AVAV’s high-growth outlook is already reflected in its valuation.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent insider activity shows 11 sales and no purchases over six months, including sales by the CFO and other executives. That pattern can weigh on sentiment, although it does not necessarily indicate deteriorating business fundamentals.

Insider Buying and Selling at AeroVironment

In other news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 205 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.86, for a total transaction of $41,381.30. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 7,888 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,592,271.68. This represents a 2.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the director owned 49,001 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,546,264.41. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 705 shares of company stock valued at $132,979. Insiders own 0.79% of the company's stock.

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.

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