AeroVironment, Inc. $AVAV Stock Holdings Cut by Generali Investments Management Co LLC

Generali Investments Management Co LLC cut its position in shares of AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) by 56.5% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 4,026 shares of the aerospace company’s stock after selling 5,232 shares during the period. Generali Investments Management Co LLC’s holdings in AeroVironment were worth $1,268,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in AeroVironment by 60.0% during the third quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the period. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. boosted its position in shares of AeroVironment by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 80 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC bought a new position in shares of AeroVironment during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Vermillion Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of AeroVironment in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. bought a new stake in shares of AeroVironment in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.38% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AVAV has been the subject of a number of research reports. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $450.00 target price on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Friday, January 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald decreased their price target on AeroVironment from $335.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. UBS Group began coverage on AeroVironment in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $259.00 price objective on the stock. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of AeroVironment from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $415.00 price target on shares of AeroVironment in a report on Monday, January 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $367.00.

Key AeroVironment News

Here are the key news stories impacting AeroVironment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: $186M U.S. Army delivery order for Switchblade systems — A $186 million delivery order for Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20 loitering munitions strengthens AVAV’s government backlog and provides visible near‑term revenue and cash flow. AV Receives $186 Million U.S. Army Delivery Order for Next-Generation Switchblade Systems
• Positive Sentiment: Sector tailwinds and analyst bullishness — Coverage notes aerospace/defense is outperforming the market, institutional buying is strong, and analysts’ consensus price target (~$367) implies meaningful upside; MarketBeat also highlights record contract awards and revenue guidance that support growth expectations. Defense Stocks Are Soaring—AeroVironment’s Earnings Could Close the Gap
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism: multiple analysts see large upside — Coverage (24/7 Wall St.) highlights 17 analysts projecting substantial upside ahead of earnings, which can lift sentiment and buying interest into the report. 17 Analysts See 42% Upside in AeroVironment as March Earnings Approach
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile endorsement — Jim Cramer called AVAV “a very good company, very well‑run,” which can boost retail sentiment and intraday buying. Jim Cramer on AeroVironment: “A Very Good Company, Very Well-Run”
• Neutral Sentiment: Stock movement vs. market — Several trade notes report AVAV advanced while the broader market declined; useful for short‑term momentum but not a fundamental driver. AeroVironment (AVAV) Advances While Market Declines
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data appears unreliable in recent feeds (reported as zeros); no clear short squeeze signal from available data.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin and execution headwinds remain — Coverage highlights compressed gross margins (mid‑20s in a recent quarter), one‑time Oracle implementation costs, revenue mix shifts after the BlueHalo acquisition, and a prior EPS miss — these factors keep upside contingent on margin recovery. Defense Stocks Are Soaring—AeroVironment’s Earnings Could Close the Gap
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish takes and “avoid” articles — Some pieces outline reasons to avoid AVAV (valuation sensitivity, recent share weakness, and execution risk), which can weigh on sentiment into earnings. 3 Reasons to Avoid AVAV and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

AeroVironment Stock Up 1.7%

AeroVironment stock opened at $259.62 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $12.96 billion, a PE ratio of -207.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 4.29 and a current ratio of 5.08. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $287.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $293.52. AeroVironment, Inc. has a twelve month low of $102.25 and a twelve month high of $417.86.

AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The aerospace company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.87 by ($0.43). AeroVironment had a negative net margin of 5.08% and a positive return on equity of 3.42%. The company had revenue of $472.51 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $466.16 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.47 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 150.7% on a year-over-year basis. AeroVironment has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.400-3.550 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that AeroVironment, Inc. will post 3.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at AeroVironment

In related news, CFO Kevin Patrick Mcdonnell sold 999 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $367.60, for a total value of $367,232.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 17,301 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,359,847.60. The trade was a 5.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Brian Charles Shackley sold 200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.92, for a total value of $50,184.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 5,994 shares in the company, valued at $1,504,014.48. This represents a 3.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 4,339 shares of company stock worth $1,353,910 over the last 90 days. 0.81% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.