AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) shares rose 4.7% to $123.25 as of October 24, 2026, a moderate gain from the prior close of $117.70. BestStocks flagged the session as a major change for AVAV. The move is tied to price move up. Below, we break down what changed for AVAV, why it matters for investors, how the stock reacted, and the catalysts on the calendar.
What happened
AVAV climbed 4.7% to $123.25
AVAV rose 4.7% in its latest session, moving from $117.70 to $123.25.
Material / EarningsLow confidence
Rel. volume
0.8×
Below Avg
Vs peers
—
No comparable peers
Market cap
$6.3B
NASDAQ Global Select
Analyst target
$215
+74.4% vs price
Price chart
Sep 23 – Oct 23
E earnings
F filing
A analyst
V/N other
click a marker to highlight
Change events — click to jump to details
What it means for AeroVironment, Inc. investors
For AeroVironment, Inc. investors, the balance of recent signals points to a bullish shift. On the constructive side: Material positive event; Positive 4.7% session move. Weighing against that: AeroVironment shares fell 4.84% to $141.58 ahead of the company's fiscal Q1 2027 earnings report, scheduled for after-market close on September 9; AeroVironment filed a material event (8-K) today, triggering a 6.73% intraday decline to $145.82. Wall Street's consensus price target sits at $214.93, implying +74.4% upside from $123.25. BestStocks rates the overall signal quality low (55/100). With earnings roughly 45 days out, the next report is the most likely near-term test of the move.
AVAV price reaction
AVAV last traded at $123.25, up $5.55 (+4.72%) from the previous close of $117.70. The session traded on 0.8× average volume (below avg), so participation was unremarkable. Over the past month the stock has ranged between $117.51 and $158.55, and it currently sits about 14% of the way up that band.
Bullish and bearish analyst opinions on AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV)
The consensus analyst price target on AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) is $214.93, 74.4% above the recent $123.25. Over the past 90 days analysts logged 0 upgrades, 8 maintains, and 0 downgrades. Here is how the bullish and bearish cases on AVAV line up.
▲ The bullish case
+Wall Street's consensus price target of $214.93 implies +74.4% upside from $123.25.
+The Street's most bullish target is $285.00 (+131.2%).
−AeroVironment shares fell 4.84% to $141.58 ahead of the company's fiscal Q1 2027 earnings report, scheduled for after-market close on September 9.
−AeroVironment filed a material event (8-K) today, triggering a 6.73% intraday decline to $145.82.
−A securities fraud class action lawsuit was filed against AeroVironment on July 7, 2026, alleging the company misled investors regarding cancellation of its SCAR contract (per Bernstein Liebhard LLP/GlobeNewswire and PRNewswire).
Bull vs bear balanceBullish Shift
BearishNeutralBullish
Weighing both sides, BestStocks' composite read of recent signals is bullish, as the bull-versus-bear meter above shows. This is an educational summary of the bull and bear case, not investment advice.
Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus figures as of Oct 24, 2026; other aggregators may differ. High and low targets show the range of estimates, not forecasts.
AeroVironment, Inc. moved -2.20% intraday from $121.79 to $119.11. AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) stock is trading down today, October 19, 2026, primarily because Citizens lowered its stock price target to $170 from $230. ## AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) $119.10 -2.21% today As of Oct 19, 2:00 PM EDT • Disclaimer 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 118 120 122 Prev close $121.79 Oct 19, 2026 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM 1D 5D 1M 6M YTD 1Y 5Y Max| Open 122.88 | Mkt cap $6.05B USD | 52-wk high 408.25 | | High 123.00 | P/E ratio- | 52-wk low 116.43 | | Low 117.05 | Div yield- | Several key headwinds are driving the downward momentum: - Price Target Cut: Analyst Trevor Walsh from Citizens reduced the firm's price target due to structural macro issues. The stock dropped to roughly $119, hovering near its 52-week low. - Budget and Election Uncertainty: Analysts noted that the current U.S. government continuing resolution process and upcoming election cycles have created a heavy overhang across the defense technology sector. - Earnings Revisions: Driven by these sector-wide budget challenges, 10 separate analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates downward for AeroVironment. - Lingering Contract & Control Issues: The drop builds on ongoing pressure from
News2026-10-14-5.1%
AVAV signs MOU with Taiwan's Thunder Tiger to explore uncrewed systems integration and co-production.
AeroVironment fell 2.60% to $128.09 amid ongoing investor concerns over profitability margins and execution risks, according to the web catalyst. Despite recent contract wins including a $464.8 million directed-energy award and naval mine-countermeasure work through VideoRay, the stock is pressured by persistent margin pressures and a challenging stretch of recent earnings misses and guidance adjustments. Volume at 979,270 shares (160 min into session) is 1.51x the historical average, normal for this time of day.
AeroVironment fell 2.52% to $133.65, driven by a combination of broad drone and defense sector selloffs plus lingering sentiment headwinds from a recent accounting restatement, according to web sources. The decline aligns with sector-wide pressure on defense names like Kratos and Ondas, exacerbated by climbing Treasury yields and elevated oil prices weighing on growth stocks. Volume of 503,639 shares (1.43x average at this time) reflects normal intraday activity.
AeroVironment fell 3.75% to $141.55 after Bank of America cut its price target from $225 to $185 (while maintaining a Buy rating), per 247wallst.com. The move extends a sector-wide pullback in high-beta defense and drone stocks amid risk-off sentiment and rising bond yields, despite the company's recent earnings beat at $480.5M in quarterly revenue. Volume was elevated at 2.98x the time-adjusted average.
AeroVironment reported Q1 earnings that beat expectations, prompting analyst forecast upgrades (Benzinga, 9/10). The stock surged 9.67% to $154.41 on elevated volume (9.02x expected at 180 minutes into session), reflecting investor enthusiasm for the company's LOCUST program scale-up and second-half revenue ramp despite unchanged full-year guidance. Trading at its lowest valuation since mid-2025 also attracted buying interest.
AeroVironment shares fell 4.84% to $141.58 ahead of the company's fiscal Q1 2027 earnings report, scheduled for after-market close on September 9. Per the web synthesis, Wall Street is forecasting a steep sequential decline in EPS versus the prior quarter, and options traders have positioned heavily in bearish put contracts ahead of results. Volume traded 3.26x the time-adjusted average, reflecting elevated pre-earnings activity.
Material / Earnings2026-09-09-5.4%
AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) reported EPS of $0.59 vs. consensus estimate of $0.22, beating by 165.4% on 2026-09-09.
In-depth AVAV event analyses
Permanent, dated analyses of AVAV's most significant sessions.
AVAV rose 4.7% to $123.25. No single company-specific catalyst was confirmed during the move window, and it looks technical.
How much did AVAV stock rise?
AVAV gained 4.72% ($5.55) versus the prior close of $117.70, last trading at $123.25 on 0.8× average volume.
When is AeroVironment, Inc.'s next earnings date?
AVAV's next earnings report is estimated for 2026-12-08 — about 45 days away.
What is the analyst price target for AVAV?
The consensus analyst price target for AVAV is $214.93, about 74.4% above the current $123.25. Over the past 90 days, analysts recorded 0 upgrades, 8 maintains, and 0 downgrades.
How BestStocks tracks AVAV
This page is generated automatically by BestStocks' change-detection system after price move up was detected and verified against independent data sources. It draws on 20 tracked change events for AVAV, cross-checked against the data sources listed below. Price, volume, and market-capitalization figures are the live intraday quote as of October 24, 2026 and refresh as new information is detected; for companies with multiple share classes, market-cap figures can differ by data source. Analyst price targets and ratings are FMP consensus. This is an educational summary of what changed and why — not personalized investment advice.
