Stock Market Today: AeroVironment (AVAV) Soars as Cooper Companies (COO) and American Eagle (AEO) Tumble

Quick Overview

• AeroVironment shares surged more than 6% following a record quarterly revenue report of $480.5M, surpassing analyst forecasts by $24.5M
• Cooper Companies stock plummeted 16% after reducing full-year revenue projections and falling short of third-quarter revenue targets
• American Eagle Outfitters shares declined 11% even after surpassing Q2 earnings expectations, weighed down by a 1% drop in comparable sales at its core brand
• Navan stock tumbled 15% following the announcement of its BoomPop AI platform acquisition, even as the company increased its annual forecast
• U.S. stock futures showed modest gains Thursday morning while oil prices remained elevated above $100 per barrel amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions

AeroVironment delivered an impressive Thursday morning performance, with shares rising over 6% following the announcement of first-quarter results that set a new revenue record. The defense technology company generated $480.5 million in revenue during the period, representing a 6% increase from the same quarter last year and exceeding Wall Street expectations by $24.5 million.

The company’s adjusted earnings reached $0.59 per share, significantly outpacing analyst estimates of $0.25 per share by more than double. Revenue from Autonomous Systems climbed 21% to reach $346 million, powered by a substantial 71% surge in sales of uncrewed aircraft systems.

Profitability metrics showed notable improvement as gross margin widened to 26%, up from 21% in the year-ago period. Management maintained its annual revenue projection of $2.125 billion to $2.225 billion and reaffirmed adjusted earnings per share guidance of $3.02 to $3.34.

Cooper Companies Shares Plunge

Cooper Companies experienced one of Thursday’s steepest declines, with shares down approximately 16% in premarket activity. The vision care company disappointed investors with third-quarter revenue results that fell short of expectations and announced a reduction to its annual revenue outlook.

Management revised its fiscal 2026 revenue forecast downward to $4.229 billion to $4.252 billion, compared to the prior range of $4.285 billion to $4.321 billion. The new projection also trails the analyst consensus estimate of $4.31 billion.

Following a strategic evaluation, the board determined it would retain ownership of the CooperSurgical division. The decision reflected concerns about valuation challenges partly attributed to increased competition in the non-hormonal IUD segment and costs associated with a fertility-related litigation settlement.

The company also lowered its non-GAAP earnings forecast to $4.51 to $4.55 per share, down from the previous range of $4.58 to $4.66. On a positive note, Cooper increased its stock repurchase program authorization from $2 billion to $3 billion.

American Eagle Drops on Sales Weakness

American Eagle Outfitters saw shares tumble 11% despite delivering second-quarter results that exceeded analyst projections. Revenue increased 9.4% compared to the prior year, while earnings jumped 34% to $0.79 per share.

The earnings performance benefited substantially from approximately $200 million in tariff refunds. When excluding this one-time benefit, gross margin faced pressure from increased promotional activity and elevated supply chain expenses.

The flagship American Eagle brand posted a 1% decline in comparable store sales. This weakness was partially balanced by strong performance from Aerie and OFFLINE, which delivered 19% growth in comparable sales and 25% revenue expansion.

Looking ahead to the third quarter, management projected operating income between $110 million and $115 million. The company lifted its fiscal 2026 operating income outlook to $540 million to $550 million, an improvement from the previous estimate of $390 million to $410 million.

Navan experienced a difficult trading session as well, with shares falling 15% after revealing its purchase of BoomPop, an AI-powered meetings platform, even though the company raised its full-year guidance. With shares having appreciated 52% year-to-date, some investors appeared to view the announcement as an opportunity to lock in gains.

Crude oil prices maintained their position above the $100-per-barrel threshold as heightened military tensions between the United States and Iran continued to support energy markets. Investors await earnings reports from Adobe and Oracle scheduled for release after Thursday’s market close.