AeroVironment Jumps 5% on First International LOCUST Laser Order

EarningsProduct / TechM&A · Partnership Impact 4
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AeroVironment shares rose 5% to $147.90 in early Thursday trading after the company announced its first international commercial order for the LOCUST directed-energy counter-UAS laser weapon system, a $50 million deal covering an initial delivery of systems and associated support. The order follows AeroVironment's selection for the U.S. Army's $464.8 million Enduring High Energy Laser production contract, which the company describes as the first production award for high-energy laser weapon systems in U.S. history. The company also reported fiscal Q1 2027 adjusted EPS of $0.59, beating the $0.2479 consensus, on revenue of $480.49 million that grew 5.7% year over year, with the Autonomous Systems segment contributing $346 million, up 21%. Funded backlog reached a record $1.5 billion and management reaffirmed fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $2.125 billion to $2.225 billion. CEO Wahid Nawabi said LOCUST gives customers an affordable, scalable way to defeat drone threats without relying solely on expensive interceptors, and the company says engagements cost less than $10 per shot; management framed LOCUST as a potential half-a-billion-dollar-plus annual franchise over time. The move was company-specific, with the Defiance Drone and Modern Warfare ETF down 1% and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust off 0.46%, while Ondas slipped 1% to $7.21 and Unusual Machines held steady at $24.34; AeroVironment stock remains down 39% year to date.

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Defense & Geopolitical Fragmentation · 3 stocks
AeroVironment Inc
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Fiscal Q1 2027 adjusted EPS of $0.59 beat consensus and management reaffirmed revenue guidance.

Robotics & Physical AI · 2 stocks

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