First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Price Target Raised to $282.00

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) had its price target raised by Guggenheim from $279.00 to $282.00 in a research report report published on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock.

FSLR has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Evercore boosted their price objective on First Solar from $212.00 to $219.00 in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Zacks Research raised First Solar from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. UBS Group raised their target price on First Solar from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of First Solar from $213.00 to $279.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, July 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, First Solar has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $254.44.

First Solar Stock Performance

NASDAQ FSLR opened at $236.80 on Monday. First Solar has a one year low of $176.47 and a one year high of $320.95. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $243.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $225.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.44 billion, a PE ratio of 14.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.18 earnings per share. First Solar’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that First Solar will post 17.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 4,815 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $247.43, for a total value of $1,191,375.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 89,033 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $22,029,435.19. This represents a 5.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Caroline Stockdale sold 10,628 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $275.60, for a total value of $2,929,076.80. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 23,792 shares in the company, valued at $6,557,075.20. This trade represents a 30.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 38,505 shares of company stock worth $9,398,886 over the last ninety days. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FSLR. Norges Bank bought a new stake in First Solar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $392,040,000. Viking Global Investors LP boosted its stake in First Solar by 60.6% during the 2nd quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $375,122,000 after purchasing an additional 854,919 shares in the last quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc acquired a new position in shares of First Solar during the 4th quarter valued at $200,109,000. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. increased its position in shares of First Solar by 2,663.8% during the 4th quarter. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. now owns 666,307 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $174,059,000 after purchasing an additional 642,199 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi raised its stake in shares of First Solar by 38.6% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 2,025,835 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $459,917,000 after buying an additional 564,032 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.92 versus the $2.90 consensus estimate. Revenue was approximately $1.06 billion, and management reaffirmed its outlook, supporting confidence in execution and the company’s contracted backlog. ETFs in Spotlight as First Solar Shares Jump Post Q2 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that the Trump administration may consider tariffs or a price floor for solar-panel raw materials have boosted expectations for stronger protection of U.S. manufacturers, a potential benefit to First Solar’s domestic production and pricing. Solar Policy Reports
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and substantial call-option activity indicate that some market participants continue to expect additional upside, supported by First Solar’s reported 45-gigawatt backlog and long-term growth prospects. First Solar Stock Price Expected to Rise
• Neutral Sentiment: A valuation analysis argues that FSLR may still trade below estimated intrinsic value, though such projections depend heavily on future earnings, backlog conversion and industry conditions. Is First Solar Still Reasonable After Its 45 GW Backlog?
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms publicized a securities class action alleging that First Solar and certain officers inadequately disclosed Series 6 production underutilization, South Carolina onshoring costs and related business risks. The August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline is keeping the allegations in focus, although the claims have not been proven. Pomerantz Class Action Announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Two executives, including CTO Markus Gloeckler, sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans. While scheduled sales do not necessarily signal deteriorating fundamentals, the reduction in their holdings may add short-term investor caution.

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.