Why AeroVironment Stock Climbed Today

By Joe Tenebruso | January 08, 2026, 6:50 PM

Key Points

Shares of AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) rose on Thursday, following President Trump's comments on increasing the U.S. military's budget.

By the close of trading, the drone maker's stock price was up more than 8% after rising as much as 16.6% earlier in the day.

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A drone flies in a sunset sky.

Image source: Getty Images.

President Trump wants to boost defense spending

In a social media post, President Trump said:

After long and difficult negotiations with Senators, Congressmen, Secretaries, and other Political Representatives, I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars. This will allow us to build the "Dream Military" that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe.

Drones are expected to serve a key role in America's defense

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been a vital part of the defense strategies in recent conflicts in Venezuela and Ukraine, helping the U.S. military and our allies reduce human casualties.

AeroVironment's drones are widely regarded as some of the best available in the world today.

Thus, should the U.S. significantly increase its defense spending, a sizable portion of these funds is likely to be allocated toward products produced by AeroVironment and other leading drone makers.

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Joe Tenebruso has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AeroVironment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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