VSE

VSEC · NASDAQ

$156.52−$1.56 (−0.99%)TodayMarket closed · Oct 20, 7:30 PM ET

Prev close $158.08

VSEC analyst rating

BuyConsensus of 8 analysts over the last 12 months. 75% rate it a buy.

Strong buy0
Buy6
Hold2
Underperform0
Sell0

12-month price target · 12 analysts

Average $270.26 (+72.7% upside)

Low: $226.81
Now: $156.52
High: $304.50

Upgrades and downgrades

The latest rating actions, newest first

VSEC analyst upgrades, downgrades and rating actions
Firm	Date	Action	Rating	Price target	Hit rate
Morgan Stanley	Oct 19, 2026	Maintains	Equal-Weight	$245.00 → $215.00	61%
Guggenheim	Sep 15, 2026	Initiates	Neutral	—	71%
Citigroup	Aug 13, 2026	Maintains	Buy	$263.00 → $280.00	27%
Deutsche Bank	Aug 11, 2026	Maintains	Buy	$280.00 → $290.00	71%
Stifel	Aug 10, 2026	Maintains	Buy	$245.00 → $260.00	57%
RBC Capital	Aug 7, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$240.00 → $265.00	59%
Morgan Stanley	Jun 26, 2026	Initiates	Equal-Weight	$245.00	61%
RBC Capital	May 7, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$220.00 → $240.00	59%
Jefferies	May 5, 2026	Initiates	Buy	$245.00 → $210.00	67%
RBC Capital	May 1, 2026	Maintains	Outperform	$250.00 → $220.00	59%

The case for and against

Updated Oct 18, 2026

Bull case

VSE is favored for its transformation into a pure-play aviation aftermarket platform, with Aviation revenue rising from just under $165M in 2020 to just over $1.1B in 2025 through organic growth and eight acquisitions, including the ~$2.025B PAG deal. The mix shift toward ~60% MRO versus ~40% distribution is especially constructive because repair work carries higher margins and supports insourcing, synergy capture, and proprietary IP monetization, while 2Q26 adj. EBITDA margin reached a record 19.2% and adj. EBITDA rose 98.0% to $86.0M. Management’s commitment to above-20% margins, combined with 1H26 organic growth of 14.5%, an expected investor day on December 9, 2026, and improving free cash conversion, reinforces the view that earnings quality and operating leverage should continue to strengthen.

Bear case

VSE is exposed to a fragile setup because its Aviation segment now lacks any government-services cushion, leaving the company highly vulnerable to a commercial downturn at a time when leverage remains elevated and post-divestiture deleveraging is still incomplete. The negative view is also driven by execution risk around the PAG integration, where management has warned it may not fully realize synergies while simultaneously absorbing Aero 3, Turbine Weld, Kellstrom, and Turbine Controls, all of which strains bandwidth and could slow cross-selling and top-line growth. In addition, customer concentration is a major risk, with one affiliated group contributing about 20% of revenue, so any loss, renegotiation, or insourcing could create a step-function hit with little offset.

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