AeroVironment (XSWX:AVAV) Free Cash Flow: CHF-132 Mil (TTM As of Apr. 2026)

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Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
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XSWX:AVAV AeroVironment Inc XSWX:AVAV
82 GF Score
Price CHF149.82
GF Value CHF213.32
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is AeroVironment Free Cash Flow?

AeroVironment XSWX:AVAV -3.45% 82 Free Cash Flow is CHF-132 Mil as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus rates XSWX:AVAV with a GF Score™ of 82/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF213.32. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review.

AeroVironment's total free cash flow for the months ended in Apr. 2026 was CHF57 Mil. Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was CHF-132 Mil.

AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow per Share for the months ended in Apr. 2026 was CHF1.14. Its free cash flow per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was CHF-2.82.

During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -189.70% per year. Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.

During the past 13 years, AeroVironment's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 105.60% per year. The lowest was -189.70% per year. And the median was 10.00% per year.


AeroVironment  (XSWX:AVAV) Free Cash Flow Explanation

Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.

In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation.

This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 1400:

If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.

The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).

For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is because research shows that five years is the length of the typical business cycle.

Therefore, as of Apr26, AeroVironment's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % (Apr26)=Normalized Free Cash Flow/Price+5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=0.82533333/0+-0.0217
=0 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.


Be Aware

Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.


AeroVironment Free Cash Flow Related Terms


AeroVironment Free Cash Flow Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

AeroVironment Free Cash Flow Chart

AeroVironment Annual Data
Trend Apr17 Apr18 Apr19 Apr20 Apr21 Apr22 Apr23 Apr24 Apr25 Apr26
Free Cash Flow
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -30.15 -3.12 -8.36 -20.12 -129.66

AeroVironment Quarterly Data
Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24 Apr24 Jul24 Oct24 Jan25 Apr25 Jul25 Oct25 Jan26 Apr26
Free Cash Flow Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -7.33 -124.46 -47.71 -17.14 57.26
XSWX:AVAV
82GF Score
AeroVironment Inc XSWX:AVAV
Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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AeroVironment Free Cash Flow Calculation

Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.

AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow for the fiscal year that ended in Apr. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (A: Apr. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=-61.751+-67.905
=-130

AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow for the quarter that ended in Apr. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (Q: Apr. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=75.226+-17.964
=57

Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was CHF-132 Mil.

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Free Cash Flow →
What does a Free Cash Flow of CHF-132 Mil mean?
AeroVironment (XSWX:AVAV) has a Free Cash Flow of CHF-132 Mil as of Apr. 2026. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for AeroVironment and its competitors.
Is AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow too high?
AeroVironment's current Free Cash Flow is CHF-132 Mil. Overall, AeroVironment has a GF Score™ of 82/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow compare to PL and DPC?
AeroVironment's Free Cash Flow of CHF-132 Mil can be compared against companies in the Aerospace & Defense industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Free Cash Flow for an Aerospace & Defense company?
A good Free Cash Flow depends on the Aerospace & Defense industry context. However, Free Cash Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Free Cash Flow mean?
A high Free Cash Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for AeroVironment and its competitors. AeroVironment's current Free Cash Flow is CHF-132 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is AeroVironment stock overvalued right now?
AeroVironment (XSWX:AVAV) has a current Free Cash Flow of CHF-132 Mil. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF213.32, compared to a current price of CHF149.82 — trading 29.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Free Cash Flow is CHF-132 Mil. AeroVironment's overall GF Score™ is 82/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Free Cash Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For AeroVironment (XSWX:AVAV), the current Free Cash Flow is CHF-132 Mil as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is AeroVironment (XSWX:AVAV) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, AeroVironment stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of CHF149.82 is trading 29.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of CHF213.32.

Key valuation signals for XSWX:AVAV:

  • Free Cash Flow: CHF-132 Mil
  • GF Value™: CHF213.32 vs. price of CHF149.82 (29.8% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 82/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:AVAV stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


AeroVironment Business Description

Address 241 18th Street South, Suite 650, Arlington, VA, USA, 22202
AeroVironment Inc supplies unmanned aircraft systems, tactical missile systems, high-altitude pseudo-satellites, and other related services to government agencies within the United States Department of Defense as well as the United States allied international governments. The systems can help with security, surveillance, or sensing, and provide eyes in the sky without needing an actual person, or driver in the sky. The company is a defense technology provider delivering integrated capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. It develops and deploy autonomous systems, precision strike systems, counter-UAS technologies, space-based platforms, directed energy systems, and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities. Company operates in three segments: UxS, LMS, MW.
82GF Score

Get the complete analysis for XSWX:AVAV

Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

CHF149.82
Price
CHF213.32
GF Value