AVAV vs. BWXT

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

AVAV (AeroVironment, Inc.) and BWXT (BWX Technologies, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Aerospace & Defense industry within the Industrials sector. Over the past 10 years, AVAV returned 18.47%/yr vs 20.03%/yr for BWXT. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

AVAV vs. BWXT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) and BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVAV achieves a -29.48% return, which is significantly lower than BWXT's 12.23% return. Over the past 10 years, AVAV has underperformed BWXT with an annualized return of 18.47%, while BWXT has yielded a comparatively higher 20.03% annualized return.

AVAV

• 1D: -7.14%
• 1M: 5.96%
• YTD: -29.48%
• 6M: -28.63%
• 1Y: -10.28%
• 3Y*: 20.96%
• 5Y*: 8.68%
• 10Y*: 18.47%

BWXT

• 1D: -0.63%
• 1M: -6.34%
• YTD: 12.23%
• 6M: 10.82%
• 1Y: 41.19%
• 3Y*: 43.24%
• 5Y*: 26.18%
• 10Y*: 20.03%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AVAV vs. BWXT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AVAV AeroVironment, Inc.	-29.48%	57.18%	22.10%	47.14%	38.09%	-28.62%	40.75%	-9.14%	20.99%	109.32%
BWXT BWX Technologies, Inc.	12.23%	56.37%	46.53%	33.87%	23.30%	-19.40%	-1.54%	64.48%	-36.10%	53.59%

Correlation

The correlation between AVAV and BWXT is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 2, 2010	0.41

Fundamentals

Market Cap AVAV : $8.32B BWXT : $17.78B
EPS AVAV : -$4.63 BWXT : $3.75
PS Ratio AVAV : 6.94 BWXT : 5.26
PB Ratio AVAV : 1.95 BWXT : 13.89
Total Revenue (TTM) AVAV : $1.19B BWXT : $3.38B
Gross Profit (TTM) AVAV : $104.63M BWXT : $566.27M
EBITDA (TTM) AVAV : -$242.06M BWXT : $534.48M

Return for Risk

AVAV vs. BWXT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AVAV

AVAV Risk / Return Rank: 38
AVAV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
AVAV Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
AVAV Omega Ratio Rank: 39
AVAV Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
AVAV Martin Ratio Rank: 37

BWXT

BWXT Risk / Return Rank: 71
BWXT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
BWXT Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
BWXT Omega Ratio Rank: 68
BWXT Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
BWXT Martin Ratio Rank: 73

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AVAV vs. BWXT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) and BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AVAV	BWXT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.14	0.92	-1.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.33	1.51	-1.17
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.04	1.20	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.17	1.79	-1.96
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.30	4.04	-4.34

AVAV vs. BWXT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVAV Sharpe Ratio is -0.14, which is lower than the BWXT Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVAV and BWXT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AVAV vs. BWXT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVAV drawdown since its inception was -61.45%, which is greater than BWXT's maximum drawdown of -47.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVAV and BWXT.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVAV	BWXT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.45%	-47.88%	-13.57%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-61.45%	-23.14%	-38.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-61.45%	-32.87%	-28.58%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-61.45%	-32.92%	-28.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-61.45%	-47.74%	-13.71%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-58.38%	-18.75%	-39.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.71%	-13.17%	-15.54%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	34.44%	10.22%	+24.22%

Volatility

AVAV vs. BWXT - Volatility Comparison

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) has a higher volatility of 26.86% compared to BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) at 11.22%. This indicates that AVAV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BWXT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVAV	BWXT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	26.86%	11.22%	+15.64%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	57.90%	34.21%	+23.69%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	74.35%	45.12%	+29.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	56.01%	33.05%	+22.96%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	52.05%	30.83%	+21.22%

Dividends

AVAV vs. BWXT - Dividend Comparison

AVAV has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BWXT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.54%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AVAV AeroVironment, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
BWXT BWX Technologies, Inc.	0.54%	0.58%	0.86%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	1.26%	1.10%	1.67%	0.69%	0.91%	30.37%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVAV and BWXT in my portfolio?

AVAV and BWXT have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVAV or BWXT?

AVAV has higher volatility (26.86%) compared to BWXT (11.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVAV dropped -61.45% vs BWXT's -47.88%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BWXT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.92 vs -0.14), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.