Based on the aggregated intelligence of 160,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, unmanned aircraft systems maker AeroVironment (Nasdaq: AVAV) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at AeroVironment's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

AeroVironment facts

Headquarters (Founded)

Monrovia, Calif. (1971)

Market Cap

$511 million

Industry

Aerospace and defense

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$226.2 million

Management

CEO Timothy Conver (since 1994)
CFO Stephen Wright (since 2002)

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

11%

Cash / Debt

$120 million / $0

Competitors

Boeing (NYSE: BA)
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)
Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC)

Customers

Ford Motor (NYSE: F)
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV)
Sysco (NYSE: SYY)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 95% of the 507 members who have rated AeroVironment believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include All-Stars 00100 and rknapton, both of whom are ranked in the top 10% of our community.

Just last week, 00100 listed several of the stock's positives: "Lots of cash on-hand. No debt. Very valuable IP in technology sector poised for tremendous growth. Strong candidate for take-over by a number of competing aviation companies vying for advantage in the unmanned air-vehicle space."

In an earlier pitch from last November, rknapton expands on AeroVironment as a good bet to take off:

You know those Army and Air Force commercials where they are flying unmanned aircraft systems through a computer screen? Well, this is a company that is benefiting largely since they develop and produce these UAS's. ... I don't see why the value of these to the military would not continue for years and years since they save lives and provide a tactical edge. ... Analyst are predicting 23% growth per annum for the next five years, so indeed if that type of growth happens, the stock may be a value here.

What do you think about AeroVironment, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!