Analyst Ratings February 4, 2026

Citizens Sticks with Market Outperform on Aviat After Q2 Beats; $30 Target Intact

Strong bookings and upside to adjusted EBITDA and revenue underpin unchanged guidance and a maintained price target

By Nina Shah AVNW
Citizens Sticks with Market Outperform on Aviat After Q2 Beats; $30 Target Intact
AVNW

Citizens has reaffirmed its Market Outperform rating and $30.00 price target on Aviat Networks (AVNW) after the company posted fiscal second-quarter 2026 results that beat analyst estimates for adjusted EBITDA, revenue and non-GAAP EPS. Aviat recorded its strongest Q2 bookings in over a decade and a consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill ratio above 1.0x, while shares rallied in after-hours trading.

Key Points

  • Citizens reaffirmed a Market Outperform rating and kept a $30.00 price target on Aviat Networks after fiscal Q2 2026 results beat cited consensus on adjusted EBITDA, revenue and non-GAAP EPS.
  • Aviat posted adjusted EBITDA of $11.3 million, revenue of $111.5 million and non-GAAP EPS of $0.54; the quarter also delivered the company’s highest Q2 bookings in over a decade and a second consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill ratio above 1.0x.
  • Market reaction was positive: the stock rose 7.0% in aftermarket trading, and shares are up approximately 34% year-to-date versus a roughly 0.5% gain for the Russell 3000. Sectors impacted include telecommunications equipment and networking, and investor sentiment in small-cap technology names.

Citizens has reiterated its Market Outperform rating on Aviat Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVNW) and maintained a $30.00 price target after the company released its fiscal second-quarter 2026 financial results. The research house highlighted a string of metrics that topped consensus expectations and noted momentum in order intake.

Aviat reported adjusted EBITDA of $11.3 million, outpacing the consensus estimate of $10.8 million. The company also recorded revenue of $111.5 million, above a cited consensus of $109.7 million, and posted non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.54, improving on an expected $0.50 in one set of consensus figures referenced by Citizens.

Separately, the company’s results were characterized in other reporting as exceeding analyst expectations with EPS of $0.54 versus a forecast of $0.52, and revenue of $111.5 million compared with an expected $110.24 million. The article preserves both sets of consensus comparisons as they were presented in the reporting around the results.

On the commercial side, Aviat recorded its highest level of second-quarter bookings in more than ten years. Citizens’ analyst Rustam Kanga pointed to the second consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill ratio greater than 1.0x as "a promising set-up for 2HYFY26 in the context of an unchanged guidance framework." That combination of stronger bookings and back-to-back book-to-bill improvement was singled out by the firm as a constructive indicator as the company moves into the second half of its fiscal year.

The market reaction was immediate. Aviat Networks stock traded up 7.0% in aftermarket trading following the release of the results. Year-to-date, the shares have appreciated roughly 34%, a notable outperformance versus the Russell 3000 index, which rose about 0.5% over the same period.

Despite the upside to near-term results, Citizens left the company’s fiscal-year guidance framework unchanged while maintaining its $30.00 price target. The firm’s maintained target reflects continued confidence in Aviat’s operating performance and bookings trajectory as reflected in the quarter’s data.


Summary of reported metrics and market response:

  • Adjusted EBITDA: $11.3 million (consensus cited at $10.8 million).
  • Revenue: $111.5 million (consensus comparisons cited at $109.7 million and $110.24 million in separate references).
  • Non-GAAP EPS: $0.54 (compared to $0.50 and $0.52 consensus figures as reported).
  • Bookings: highest Q2 level in more than a decade; second consecutive quarter with book-to-bill above 1.0x.
  • Stock movement: +7.0% in aftermarket trading; ~34% year-to-date performance versus ~0.5% for the Russell 3000.

The decision by Citizens to maintain its Market Outperform rating and $30.00 target comes amid these mixed but mostly favorable data points. The unchanged guidance framework was noted alongside the stronger-than-expected quarter, and investors and analysts are likely to weigh the booking strength and consecutive above-1.0x book-to-bill read as inputs to future evaluations.

Risks

  • Citizens maintained Aviat’s existing guidance framework despite the quarter’s upside, indicating potential uncertainty around the sustainability of the improvement in bookings and revenue - this affects investor expectations in the networking and telecom equipment sectors.
  • The reporting contains multiple consensus comparison points for revenue and EPS (for example, $109.7 million versus $110.24 million for revenue expectations, and $0.50 versus $0.52 for EPS), reflecting differing analyst figures that could introduce variability in how results are interpreted by market participants - this impacts analyst coverage and equity valuation discussions.
  • Stock volatility following the earnings release (7.0% aftermarket move) underscores market sensitivity to quarterly performance and guidance - relevant for investors and traders focused on small-cap technology and communications equity.

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