Needham Rates AeroVironment (AVAV) buy, $225 Price Target

Needham analyst Austin Bohlig reiterates a buy rating on AeroVironment, Inc. alongside a $225 price target as part of a busy stretch of analyst updates, a 36.31% upside from the current price.

By TradeTexts Research Desk · Published Jun 30, 2026, 1:01 PM EDT · Updated Jul 1, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT

Reviewed by automated data checks against the source data. How we make and check alerts

Needham rated AeroVironment, Inc. ($AVAV) "buy" with a $225 price target on June 30, 2026.

Since the rating, $AVAV is down 1.5% after 1 week, down 11.2% after 1 month and down 26.2% to date (from the $165.07 close on Jun 30, 2026).

AVAV AeroVironment, Inc.

$121.79 -52.46% year to date

Daily close · Oct 16, 2026

Key Points

Needham analyst Austin Bohlig reaffirmed a buy rating on AeroVironment, Inc. NasdaqGS AVAV on June 30, 2026, setting a target price of $225.
Needham's $225 price target implies 36.31% upside from AeroVironment, Inc.'s ($AVAV) current $165.07 share price.
Shares traded at $165.07 on Tuesday, resting below the consensus mean target of $216.16 from twenty-two covering analysts.
Company insiders recently completed stock sales in late June, including transactions by the chief accounting officer and chief legal officer.

Get $AVAV trade alerts by text

We text you when insiders, Congress or big funds trade $AVAV. Free.

Not investment advice. TradeTexts is not a registered investment adviser, and this automated AeroVironment, Inc. alert may contain errors. Disclosures

Needham Stays Positive on AeroVironment Shares

Needham analyst Austin Bohlig kept a buy rating on AeroVironment, Inc. NasdaqGS AVAV on June 30, 2026, holding firm with a $225 price target. This update places Needham right alongside other major financial institutions keeping a close eye on the defense tech firm. While some peers have adjusted their targets recently, Needham's continued buy stance highlights steady confidence in the company's long-term trajectory within the defense sector.

Analyst rating track record

Needham vs. the S&P 500

YTD return +19.99% hypothetical

All-time return +91.20% S&P 500 +28.60%

vs. S&P 500 +62.60% ahead of the index

Hypothetical returns from Needham's disclosed trades, not real profit or advice. How we model this.

12-month forecast

$AVAV price target

AeroVironment, Inc. daily closes and this analyst's $225 target. Not advice.

How Needham Compares With Other Wall Street Firms

Wall Street holds a generally favorable view of the company, reflected in a consensus recommendation of buy across twenty-two analyst opinions. The average price target sits at $216.16, with targets stretching from a low of $148.57 up to a high of $315.00. Other firms have chimed in with their own updates over recent months. On October 16, 2026, Macquarie initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $210.00 target. Barclays initiated coverage on October 9, 2026, with an Equal-Weight rating and a $237.00 target, while Rothschild & Co started coverage on October 6, 2026, with a Neutral rating and a $165.00 target. Back in September, Jefferies maintained its buy rating while adjusting its target to $204.00 from $229.00 on September 16, 2026. B of a Securities kept a buy rating on September 11, 2026, moving its target to $185.00 from $225.00. Citizens reiterated a Market Outperform rating at $230.00 on September 10, 2026. On that same day, JP Morgan kept an Overweight rating and raised its target to $210.00 from $200.00, and UBS held a neutral rating while adjusting its target to $170.00 from $166.00.

Where AeroVironment Stock Trades Today

The defense stock changed hands at $165.07 on Tuesday. That price sits well above its 52-week low of $116.42, though it remains far below the 52-week peak of $408.25. The shares currently trade above the 50-day moving average of $154.19, while tracking below the 200-day moving average of $196.15. The company carries a forward P/E ratio of 27.905672 based on projected earnings, alongside a market capitalization of roughly $6.26 billion.

Recent Insider Transactions at the Firm

Company leaders have also adjusted their personal holdings through open market dispositions. On June 29, 2026, SVP and Chief Accounting Officer Brian Charles Shackley disposed of 855 shares at an average price of $139.00, totaling $118,845.00. In a separate transaction on the same day, EVP and Chief Legal Officer Melissa Ann Brown disposed of 3,590 shares at an average price of $139.00, bringing a total value of $499,010.00. These transactions follow routine financial planning by executives and do not necessarily signal a shift in business fundamentals.

What AeroVironment Builds and Sells

AeroVironment designs and builds uncrewed aircraft systems, tactical missile solutions, and robotic technologies for government and commercial clients. The business operates across autonomous systems as well as space, cyber and directed energy segments, supplying modern defense forces with critical surveillance and precision tools.

Looking Ahead to Next Milestones

Market participants will look toward the company's next earnings report scheduled for December 2, 2026, to gauge ongoing revenue and margin trends. Wall Street analysts will continue updating their models as new defense contracts and quarterly figures roll in.