Moran Wealth Management LLC Buys New Holdings in AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV

Key Points

• Moran Wealth Management opened a new position in AeroVironment during the first quarter, buying 22,824 shares valued at about $4.18 million.
• AeroVironment reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $1.84 versus $1.47 expected and revenue of $641.62 million, up 133.3% year over year.
• The company is drawing attention from investors and analysts thanks to a $500 million U.S. Army/Defense contract for counter-drone systems, though some analysts have recently trimmed price targets despite keeping generally bullish ratings.

Moran Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 22,824 shares of the aerospace company's stock, valued at approximately $4,178,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Tema Etfs LLC bought a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the third quarter worth $29,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. grew its stake in AeroVironment by 90.0% during the fourth quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 133 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntington National Bank grew its stake in AeroVironment by 72.1% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 105 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. 86.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

AeroVironment Price Performance

AeroVironment stock opened at $190.89 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $9.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -51.87, a PEG ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 1.39. The firm's fifty day moving average is $174.86 and its 200 day moving average is $223.52. The company has a quick ratio of 4.54, a current ratio of 4.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 52-week low of $135.20 and a 52-week high of $417.86.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 business had revenue of $641.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $555.97 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.61 EPS. 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 forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen F. Page sold 250 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 $8,546,264.41. This represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 750 shares of company stock worth $133,502 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.81% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AVAV has been the topic of several research analyst reports. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of AeroVironment from $172.00 to $166.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on AeroVironment from $260.00 to $235.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 11th. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their target price on AeroVironment from $300.00 to $280.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on AeroVironment from $250.00 to $210.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on AeroVironment from $305.00 to $229.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $277.37.

AeroVironment News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment won a $500 million U.S. Army / Department of Defense contract for counter-drone systems, which traders see as a major validation of its anti-drone technology and a meaningful revenue opportunity. Why Is AeroVironment (AVAV) Stock Rocketing Higher Today
• Positive Sentiment: The company also recently posted blockbuster fiscal Q4 results, which reinforced the bullish view that demand for its drones and counter-drone systems is accelerating. AVAV Stock Skyrockets as AeroVironment Reports Blockbuster Q4 Earnings Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentators are highlighting the company’s geopolitical tailwind from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and rising military demand for anti-drone tools, which supports the stock’s longer-term growth story. A Longlasting Russia-Ukraine War Creates a Catalyst to Buy AeroVironment Stock Now
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage sentiment has also improved, with Wedbush upgrading AVAV and Piper Sandler reiterating an overweight rating with a higher target, suggesting Wall Street sees more upside after the contract win. Wedbush upgrade news
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also unusual call-option buying in AVAV, which signals heightened trader interest but does not by itself change fundamentals. Traders Purchase Large Volume of AeroVironment Call Options NASDAQ: AVAV
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced securities-fraud class action deadlines tied to prior disclosures, adding legal noise and a potential liability overhang for investors. AVAV FINAL DEADLINE: ROSEN... Securities Class Action

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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