AeroVironment slides as fresh securities class-action deadline notices resurface SCAR-contract concerns

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) is down 6.3% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.

Analysis: The most visible near-term catalyst appears to be renewed attention on an investor securities class action tied to disclosures around the U.S. Space Force’s SCAR program, following additional deadline reminder releases. The move also fits with ongoing investor sensitivity to SCAR-related revenue/backlog uncertainty that has been a key overhang since earlier company updates.

Details:

Newly circulated investor notices highlighted a pending securities class action and an upcoming July 27, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline tied to a defined “class period.”

The lawsuit narrative centers on the SCAR program and related disclosure allegations, which can pressure sentiment even without any new operational update from the company.

Earlier company communications discussed active negotiations with the U.S. Space Force regarding the SCAR contract structure, underscoring that the program’s contracting path has been in flux.

With SCAR seen by investors as a material program, incremental legal headlines can amplify volatility and prompt risk-reduction positioning.

Sources:

PR Newswire, GlobeNewswire, AeroVironment Investor Relations

Disclaimer: This price movement analysis was generated with the help of AI. Please double-check the information provided for mistakes.

$AVAV Insider Trading Activity

$AVAV insiders have traded $AVAV stock on the open market 13 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 13 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AVAV stock by insiders over the last 6 months:

KEVIN PATRICK MCDONNELL (CFO) has made 0 purchases and 4 sales selling 2,785 shares for an estimated $818,802.
STEPHEN F PAGE has made 0 purchases and 7 sales selling 2,750 shares for an estimated $791,875.
BRIAN CHARLES SHACKLEY (Chief Accounting Officer) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 400 shares for an estimated $92,688.

To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard. You can access data on insider stock transactions through the Quiver Quantitative API insider transaction endpoint.

$AVAV Hedge Fund Activity

We have seen 394 institutional investors add shares of $AVAV stock to their portfolio, and 308 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.

Here are some of the largest recent moves:

BLACKROCK, INC. removed 708,485 shares (-12.5%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $129,688,179
BAILLIE GIFFORD & CO removed 603,868 shares (-33.9%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $146,069,630
BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP removed 339,844 shares (-61.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $62,208,444
ALYESKA INVESTMENT GROUP, L.P. added 331,664 shares (+85.1%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $60,711,095
DRIEHAUS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC removed 319,833 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $58,545,430
CIBC PRIVATE WEALTH GROUP LLC removed 312,370 shares (-98.9%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $75,559,179
STATE STREET CORP added 307,712 shares (+15.5%) to their portfolio in Q1 2026, for an estimated $56,326,681

To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard. You can access data on hedge funds moves and 13F filings through the Quiver Quantitative API 13F endpoint.

$AVAV Government Contracts

We have seen $460,711,459 of award payments to $AVAV over the last year.

Here are some of the awards which we have have seen pay out the most over the last year:

LOW ALTITUDE STALKING AND STRIKE ORDNANCE (LASSO). ALL DELIVERABLE AND WORK SHALL BE PERFORMED IN ACCORDANC...: $39,105,986
SUAS HURRICANE DRONES: $34,841,830
PUMA AE 3, PUMA LE, PUMA ACCESSORIES, ERA, PUMA SOFTWARE UPDATE KIT, CONTRACTOR LOGISTICS SUPPORTS SERVICES...: $26,236,824
FIELD SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES (FSR) SUPPORT UNDER STATEMENT OF WORK SECTION 3.15.4.: $8,187,460

To track government contracts to publicy traded companies, check out Quiver Quantitative's government contracts dashboard. You can access data on government contracts through the Quiver Quantitative API government contracts endpoint.

$AVAV Congressional Stock Trading

Members of Congress have traded $AVAV stock 3 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 3 have been purchases and 0 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AVAV stock by members of Congress over the last 6 months:

REPRESENTATIVE GILBERT RAY CISNEROS, JR. has traded it 3 times. They made 3 purchases worth up to $45,000 on 03/03, 01/27, 12/15 and 0 sales.

To track congressional stock trading, check out Quiver Quantitative's congressional trading dashboard. You can access data on congressional stock trades through the Quiver Quantitative API Congress trades endpoint.

$AVAV Analyst Ratings

Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $AVAV in the last several months. We have seen 4 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.

Here are some recent analyst ratings:

Piper Sandler issued a "Overweight" rating on 03/03/2026
JP Morgan issued a "Overweight" rating on 02/17/2026
Keybanc issued a "Overweight" rating on 12/19/2025
Canaccord Genuity issued a "Buy" rating on 12/10/2025

To track analyst ratings and price targets for $AVAV, check out Quiver Quantitative's $AVAV forecast page.

$AVAV Price Targets

Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $AVAV recently. We have seen 15 analysts offer price targets for $AVAV in the last 6 months, with a median target of $315.0.

Here are some recent targets:

Andre Madrid from BTIG set a target price of $330.0 on 03/12/2026
Greg Konrad from Jefferies set a target price of $305.0 on 03/12/2026
Austin Moeller from Canaccord Genuity set a target price of $300.0 on 03/12/2026
Peter Arment from Baird set a target price of $235.0 on 03/11/2026
Trevor Walsh from Citizens set a target price of $350.0 on 03/11/2026
Austin Bohlig from Needham set a target price of $400.0 on 03/11/2026
Ken Herbert from RBC Capital set a target price of $250.0 on 03/11/2026

This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information. Note that there may be inaccuracies due to mistakes in ticker-mapping, and other anomalies.