AeroVironment Stock Plunges 8%, Wiping Out $497 Million, Near Its 52-Week Low
The defense-tech stock is down roughly half this year and sits about 72% below its 52-week high.
AeroVironment shares fell 7.91% to $113.76 in Wednesday trading as of 1:36 p.m. ET, erasing $497 million in market value and landing within 1% of the stock's 52-week low. The drop came the same day the company disclosed a credit agreement amendment that added BMO as a lender.
A new lender joins the credit line
AeroVironment, which makes uncrewed aircraft, loitering munitions (drones that strike targets), counter-drone systems and other defense technology, disclosed in an 8-K filing a Sixth Amendment to its credit agreement. It was signed October 30 with Bank of America and other lenders, with BMO joining as a new lender.
That followed a Fifth Amendment to the same agreement, signed with the existing lenders on October 9, according to the filing.
The stock was on pace for its biggest one-day drop since July 29, when it fell 9.1%. Its market value stood at $5.8 billion.
Down about 49% this year
As of Tuesday's close, the shares were down about 49% year to date, while the S&P 500 was up about 11%. The stock had slid 12% over the prior month and sits about 72% below its 52-week high.
The slide has come despite a first quarter in which AeroVironment reported record revenue of $480.5 million, up 6% from $454.7 million a year earlier. Its net loss narrowed to $5.1 million, or $0.10 a share, from $67.4 million, or $1.44 a share.
Funded backlog hit a record $1.5 billion, up 37% from a year earlier, and bookings were $0.7 billion. The company kept its full-year revenue outlook at $2.125 billion to $2.225 billion.
Defense customers drive the business
The company sells mostly to the US Department of Defense. In the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, about 25% of revenue came from the US Army, and foreign customers accounted for 28% of sales.
AeroVironment is scheduled to report quarterly results on Monday, December 7.
Sources
- What AeroVironment Investors Missed Before A 52% Fall — Yahoo Finance
- AeroVironment (AVAV) Stock Fair Value Edges Lower As Analysts Reassess Defense Funding Risks — Yahoo Finance
- AeroVironment (AVAV) Stock May Be Expensive On Its 66% Slump — Yahoo Finance
- AeroVironment (AVAV) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know — Yahoo Finance
- The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Heico, Curtiss-Wright and AeroVironment — Yahoo Finance
- AVAV 8-K: On October 30, 2026, AeroVironment, Inc. (the Company ), as borrower, and certain subsidiaries of the Company as guarantors thereto (the Guarantors ), Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent… — SEC 8-K Filing
- AeroVironment — earnings release (Form 8-K, Item 2.02), filed 2026-09-09 — SEC EDGAR
