AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) Updates FY 2027 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• AeroVironment issued FY 2027 guidance for EPS of $3.02–$3.34 and revenue of $2.1–$2.2 billion, broadly in line with analysts’ expectations of $3.21 EPS and $2.2 billion in revenue.
• The company reported quarterly EPS of $0.59, beating the $0.22 consensus estimate by $0.37, but shares fell 5.4% to $140.80 amid broader weakness in drone stocks.
• Analyst sentiment remains generally positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $262.74, although several brokerages recently lowered their targets; insiders have also sold shares under pre-arranged trading plans.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) updated its FY 2027 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 3.020-3.340 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 3.210. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.1 billion-$2.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.2 billion.

AeroVironment Trading Down 5.4%

NASDAQ:AVAV traded down $7.98 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $140.80. 4,242,673 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,613,943. AeroVironment has a 12 month low of $135.20 and a 12 month high of $417.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 3.59 and a current ratio of 4.30. The company has a fifty day moving average of $159.81 and a 200 day moving average of $180.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.16 billion, a P/E ratio of -38.26, a PEG ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 1.41.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, September 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 9.00% and a positive return on equity of 3.71%. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that AeroVironment will post 3.2 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on AVAV. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on AeroVironment from $280.00 to $240.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 10th. Wolfe Research downgraded AeroVironment to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of AeroVironment from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, July 5th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Friday. Finally, Citizens Jmp dropped their target price on AeroVironment from $350.00 to $230.00 and set a "market outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Two investment 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 company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, AeroVironment presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $262.74.

Insider Buying and Selling at AeroVironment

In other AeroVironment news, Director Stephen Page sold 250 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.98, for a total transaction of $47,995.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 48,503 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,311,605.94. The trade was a 0.51% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Brian Shackley sold 205 shares of the business'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 in the company, valued at $1,592,271.68. The trade was a 2.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 705 shares of company stock valued at $132,979 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.79% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about AeroVironment

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AeroVironment reportedly secured its first international order for the LOCUST counter-drone laser system. The deal expands the company’s international customer base and supports the long-term growth case for its directed-energy and counter-UAS products. AeroVironment Nabs First International Order For LOCUST Counter-Drone Laser System
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street is focused on tonight’s earnings release, with consensus first-quarter EPS estimated at approximately $0.25, or about 22% below the year-earlier result. Investors will look for revenue growth, order momentum and management’s comments on the full-year outlook. What Wall Street Expects from Earnings Today
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts have reduced their estimates 11 times over the past 90 days, while reports say AeroVironment has missed expectations in three consecutive quarters. This has raised the risk that another disappointment or weaker guidance could further damage investor confidence. Stock Faces Earnings Test Amid Declining Analyst Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Drone stocks broadly sold off without a clear company-specific catalyst as investors rotated away from riskier, high-beta names. AeroVironment’s roughly 41% year-to-date decline and elevated earnings uncertainty made it particularly vulnerable to the risk-off trading. Drone Stocks Slide as Risk-Off Sentiment Hits High-Beta Names
• Negative Sentiment: Berger Montague announced an investigation into AeroVironment’s board over potential breaches of fiduciary duty. The inquiry is at an early stage, but it adds legal and governance overhang ahead of the earnings report. Berger Montague Board Investigation

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AeroVironment

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. National Bank of Canada FI increased its position in AeroVironment by 230.3% during the third quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 109 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in AeroVironment during the fourth quarter valued at about $40,000. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise acquired a new stake in AeroVironment during the third quarter worth about $44,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 5,200.0% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 159 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its stake in shares of AeroVironment by 29.7% in the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 188 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.38% 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.

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.