AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV Position Increased by Congress Asset Management Co.

Congress Asset Management Co. lifted its position in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) by 20.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 595,134 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after acquiring an additional 99,494 shares during the quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. owned 1.17% of AeroVironment worth $84,640,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AVAV. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in AeroVironment in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in AeroVironment during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. MidFirst Bank purchased a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of AeroVironment by 195.0% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 177 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the period. 86.38% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at AeroVironment

In other news, Director Stephen Page sold 250 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.27, for a total transaction of $38,067.50. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 48,253 shares in the company, valued at $7,347,484.31. This represents a 0.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CAO Brian Shackley sold 205 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 7,888 shares in the company, valued at $1,592,271.68. This represents a 2.53% 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. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 805 shares of company stock valued at $142,671. Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on AVAV shares. Wolfe Research downgraded AeroVironment to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Rothschild & Co Redburn initiated coverage on AeroVironment in a report on Tuesday. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $165.00 target price for the company. UBS Group raised their target price on AeroVironment from $166.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of AeroVironment from $248.00 to $235.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Wedbush started coverage on shares of AeroVironment in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $250.00 price target on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $228.37.

AeroVironment Price Performance

NASDAQ AVAV traded up $4.24 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $143.54. The stock had a trading volume of 1,574,753 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,670,916. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $157.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $169.56. The company has a market cap of $7.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -61.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.36. AeroVironment, Inc. has a 52-week low of $135.20 and a 52-week high of $417.86. The company has a quick ratio of 3.33, a current ratio of 4.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, September 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.59 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.22 by $0.37. AeroVironment had a positive return on equity of 4.04% and a negative net margin of 5.77%.The firm had revenue of $480.49 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.95 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.32 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. AeroVironment has set its FY 2027 guidance at 3.020-3.340 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

AeroVironment News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Switchblade demand and backlog support future revenue. AeroVironment has secured major military contracts for its Switchblade loitering munition systems. At the end of fiscal 2027’s first quarter, the company reported approximately $1.5 billion in funded backlog and another $1.4 billion in unfunded backlog, providing substantial potential revenue visibility. Should Investors Buy the Dip in AeroVironment or Wait for Profitability?
• Positive Sentiment: BTIG reiterated its bullish view. Analyst Andre Madrid maintained a Buy rating and a $205 price target, citing strength in directed-energy and counter-drone systems. The target implies meaningful upside from the stock’s recent trading level and reinforces the investment case around next-generation defense technologies. AeroVironment Maintained at Buy with $205 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Valuation comparisons favor AeroVironment’s established defense position. Commentary contrasting AeroVironment with smaller drone company Ondas emphasized AVAV’s larger revenue base, stronger defense-contracting credentials and more established customer relationships. A separate report cited a consensus price target of $231.89. AeroVironment Consensus Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors remain divided over the timing of profitability. Although recent earnings exceeded expectations, AeroVironment continues to report a negative net margin and negative price-to-earnings ratio. The key question is whether backlog growth and defense demand can translate into sustainable profits before valuation concerns intensify. Should Investors Buy the Dip in AeroVironment or Wait for Profitability?

AeroVironment Company Profile

AeroVironment, Inc is a defense technology company that develops and supplies autonomous systems, uncrewed aircraft, loitering munitions and counter-uncrewed-aircraft systems. Its portfolio includes small unmanned aircraft systems such as Raven, Puma and Wasp, as well as larger platforms including JUMP 20 and Quantix Recon.

The company is also known for its Switchblade family of loitering munitions, which combine surveillance, target identification and precision strike capabilities. AeroVironment provides related ground control systems, sensors, software, communications equipment, training and support services for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Founded in 1971 by aerospace engineer Paul B.