Trillium Asset Management LLC Decreases Stake in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Trillium Asset Management LLC cut its holdings in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) by 17.3% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 142,545 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock after selling 29,767 shares during the quarter. First Solar comprises 1.1% of Trillium Asset Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Trillium Asset Management LLC’s holdings in First Solar were worth $37,644,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Atlatl Advisers LLC acquired a new position in First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $1,697,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in First Solar by 3.5% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,721,979 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $3,026,108,000 after purchasing an additional 464,130 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its holdings in First Solar by 1,054.3% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 52,219 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $13,641,000 after purchasing an additional 47,695 shares during the last quarter. Bornite Capital Management LP acquired a new position in First Solar during the third quarter worth $22,053,000. Finally, Lee Johnson Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $5,304,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on FSLR shares. Zacks Research raised First Solar from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on First Solar from $286.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Barclays reduced their price objective on First Solar from $228.00 to $213.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 20th. DZ Bank raised First Solar to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on First Solar from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $250.99.

First Solar News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting First Solar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target on First Solar to $300 from $243, implying meaningful upside from recent trading levels and reinforcing confidence in the company’s outlook. Mizuho price target update
• Positive Sentiment: UBS Group also lifted its price target to $330 from $290 and maintained a buy rating, signaling continued optimism around First Solar’s growth prospects. UBS analyst update
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary this week highlighted that First Solar has outperformed the S&P 500 over the past year, with sentiment remaining moderately bullish on the stock’s longer-term growth potential.
• Neutral Sentiment: One recent market article compared First Solar’s performance with the broader S&P 500, underscoring that the stock is still being closely watched by investors for relative performance trends. First Solar vs. S&P 500 article
• Neutral Sentiment: A separate note said First Solar declined while the broader market improved, suggesting the move may reflect normal trading volatility rather than a company-specific negative catalyst. Zacks market comparison article

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In related news, insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 582 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $145,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 4,967 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,241,750. This represents a 10.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 9,022 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.62, for a total value of $1,800,971.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 9,850 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,966,257. The trade was a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 60,694 shares of company stock valued at $13,659,583. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

First Solar Stock Performance

NASDAQ FSLR opened at $267.31 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $135.50 and a fifty-two week high of $320.95. The stock has a market cap of $28.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 1.71. The business has a fifty day moving average of $231.95 and a 200-day moving average of $233.65. The company has a quick ratio of 2.15, a current ratio of 2.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.35. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.01% and a net margin of 30.73%.The company had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.95 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About First Solar

First Solar, Inc (NASDAQ: FSLR) is a United States–based solar technology company best known for designing and manufacturing thin‑film photovoltaic (PV) modules that use cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology. The company supplies PV modules and delivers integrated solar power solutions for utility‑scale projects, positioning itself as a provider of both components and complete solar energy systems rather than solely a parts supplier. First Solar was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Beyond module manufacturing, First Solar offers a range of project services including development support, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, and operations and maintenance (O&M) for large-scale solar installations.