First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Upgraded to “Buy” at HSBC

HSBC upgraded shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of First Solar from $294.00 to $297.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Oppenheimer reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Truist Financial reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $229.00 price target (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. Guggenheim raised their price target on shares of First Solar from $279.00 to $282.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Evercore boosted their price objective on shares of First Solar from $212.00 to $219.00 in a report on Monday, May 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $254.89.

First Solar Trading Up 2.4%

First Solar stock opened at $250.05 on Friday. First Solar has a 12 month low of $176.47 and a 12 month high of $320.95. The company has a market capitalization of $26.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.75. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $241.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $225.26.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The company’s revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.18 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that First Solar will post 17.75 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 582 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $145,500.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 4,967 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,241,750. This trade represents a 10.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total transaction of $205,592.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 6,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,647,216. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 38,505 shares of company stock worth $9,398,886 in the last three months. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 29.3% in the 1st quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 1,138,473 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $224,540,000 after buying an additional 258,204 shares during the last quarter. Atlatl Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $1,697,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position 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 valued at $13,641,000 after acquiring an additional 47,695 shares during the last quarter. Genus Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in First Solar during the fourth quarter valued at $4,525,000. Finally, TABR Capital Management LLC bought a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at about $5,626,000. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: The Trump administration imposed a 15% tariff and minimum import-price requirements on polysilicon and downstream products under Section 232. The policy, scheduled to take effect December 4, could reduce low-cost Chinese competition and support pricing for U.S. solar manufacturers. Solar stocks shine after Trump extends China tariffs to polysilicon products
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar publicly supported the action, saying it could help loosen China’s control of a critical solar-material supply chain. Chinese producers reportedly account for more than 90% of global polysilicon supply. First Solar applauds Section 232 action
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target from $300 to $313 and maintained an overweight rating, saying the trade action could benefit First Solar more than previously expected. HSBC also upgraded the stock from hold to buy, reinforcing improving analyst sentiment. First Solar clears aggressive buy point
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s earlier quarterly earnings beat remains a supportive backdrop: First Solar reported $3.92 in earnings per share versus the $2.90 consensus estimate, although revenue declined 3.4% year over year. Its contracted backlog and domestic capacity expansion provide longer-term visibility, but investors remain focused on earnings durability.
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms are promoting a securities class action against First Solar and certain executives concerning alleged disclosures about production underutilization, South Carolina onshoring costs and related risks. The allegations remain unproven, but the August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline adds legal and reputational uncertainty. Pomerantz class action announcement

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.