First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Moved Down to “Hold” by Glj Research

Glj Research downgraded shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Friday,Benzinga reports. They currently have $161.00 price target on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings cut First Solar from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, October 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on First Solar from $323.00 to $326.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. Evercore reissued a “positive” rating and issued a $218.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on First Solar from $318.00 to $290.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $259.62.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of FSLR opened at $174.40 on Friday. First Solar has a 1 year low of $165.86 and a 1 year high of $320.95. The company has a market capitalization of $18.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.80. The business has a 50-day moving average of $188.72 and a 200-day moving average of $216.19.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.63. First Solar had a net margin of 37.12% and a return on equity of 18.78%. The company had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.29 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.24 earnings per share. First Solar’s revenue for the quarter was down 22.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 17.63 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total transaction of $28,314.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $449,913.10. The trade was a 5.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total transaction of $922,706.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 5,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,402,513.12. The trade was a 39.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286. Company insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Clearstead Trust LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Vega Investment Solutions purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth $40,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the second quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Allied Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the second quarter worth $45,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $5.30 per share, beating estimates by roughly 14%, while net income increased 25% year over year. Strong margins and a reported $13.5 billion backlog provide support for longer-term earnings visibility. First Solar Announces Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company authorized a $500 million share-repurchase program, which could support per-share results and signal management’s confidence in long-term cash generation. First Solar Posts Strong Q3 Results and Launches Buyback Plan
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar signed a U.S. patent licensing agreement with CubicPV covering perovskite technology, potentially advancing its next-generation solar-product development. The company also inaugurated the first phase of its South Carolina facility, expanding domestic manufacturing capacity. First Solar and CubicPV Enter U.S. Patent Licensing Agreement

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc is a vertically integrated solar technology and manufacturing company that designs, manufactures and sells photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. Its modules use advanced thin-film semiconductor technology based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), rather than the crystalline-silicon technology used by most solar manufacturers. The company serves utility-scale solar developers, commercial and industrial customers, and other large-scale energy users.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, First Solar operates research and development, manufacturing and recycling facilities in the United States and internationally.