Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. Sells 12,100 Shares of AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV

Key Points

• Susquehanna Advisors Group cut its AeroVironment position by 58.1% in the second quarter, selling 12,100 shares and retaining 8,720 shares valued at approximately $1.44 million. Institutional investors own 86.38% of AVAV.
• AeroVironment reported quarterly revenue growth of 133.3% year over year and exceeded analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates. Recent catalysts include a $51 million U.S. Army Switchblade 600 order and a NASA Mars helicopter project.
• Despite a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and average price target of $266.68, AVAV shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while recent insider activity has been limited to sales.

Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc. trimmed its position in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Free Report) by 58.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 8,720 shares of the aerospace company's stock after selling 12,100 shares during the quarter. Susquehanna Advisors Group Inc.'s holdings in AeroVironment were worth $1,439,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of AVAV. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the first quarter worth approximately $25,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of AeroVironment during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. purchased a new position in AeroVironment in the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. raised its holdings in AeroVironment by 90.0% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Finally, Toth Financial Advisory Corp bought a new position in AeroVironment in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 86.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 205 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $201.86, for a total transaction of $41,381.30. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 7,888 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,592,271.68. The trade was a 2.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, 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 business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.98, for a total transaction of $47,995.00. Following the sale, the director owned 48,503 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,311,605.94. This trade represents a 0.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 705 shares of company stock valued at $132,979 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.79% of the company's stock.

Key AeroVironment News

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.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AVAV has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, June 8th. Canaccord Genuity Group dropped their price objective on AeroVironment from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded AeroVironment from an "outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $210.00 to $180.00 in a report on Thursday, July 9th. William Blair reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AeroVironment from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, July 5th. 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's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, AeroVironment presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $266.68.

AeroVironment Stock Performance

AVAV stock opened at $147.94 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $7.52 billion, a P/E ratio of -40.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.05 and a beta of 1.41. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 1 year low of $135.20 and a 1 year high of $417.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 4.30 and a quick ratio of 3.59. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $159.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $186.00.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, June 29th. The aerospace company reported $1.84 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 3.71% and a negative net margin of 9.00%.The company had revenue of $641.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $555.97 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.61 earnings per share. AeroVironment's revenue for the quarter was up 133.3% compared to the same quarter last year. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.25 earnings per share for the current year.

AeroVironment 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AVAV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source