6,261 First Solar, Inc. $FSLR Shares Sold by Nisa Investment Advisors LLC

Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) by 27.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,481 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock after selling 6,261 shares during the period. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in First Solar were worth $2,887,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $3,310,298,000. ABS Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,297,780,000. Hill City Capital LP purchased a new stake in First Solar in the second quarter worth $620,133,555. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 7.0% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,535,836 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $362,396,000 after buying an additional 100,694 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,305,471 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $257,441,000 after buying an additional 56,300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

First Solar Price Performance

NASDAQ FSLR opened at $171.99 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a 12 month low of $168.60 and a 12 month high of $320.95. The company has a market capitalization of $18.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.80. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $192.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $218.21.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 business had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.18 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.63 earnings per share for the current year.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital issued a Buy rating on First Solar, providing a constructive analyst signal that may support investor confidence in the company’s long-term growth prospects. First Solar Gets a Buy from BMO Capital
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and investors are focused on whether U.S. demand for domestically manufactured solar panels is strengthening. Firm domestic demand could benefit First Solar’s production utilization and revenue outlook. Is Domestic Panel Demand Firming for First Solar?
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar is scheduled to report quarterly earnings, making the upcoming results, management guidance and commentary on demand key near-term catalysts. First Solar Projected to Announce Quarterly Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention has increased, with First Solar appearing among trending stocks. The heightened visibility could increase trading activity but does not itself change the company’s fundamentals. First Solar Is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage is also highlighting First Solar’s substantial cash position, which may provide financial flexibility for expansion and help cushion periods of industry volatility. Should You Buy First Solar Stock For Its Cash?
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks reported that First Solar underperformed the broader market in the latest session, reflecting near-term selling pressure. First Solar Declines More Than the Market
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings analysis says First Solar lacks the combination of earnings-estimate revisions and surprise indicators typically associated with a likely earnings beat. That raises the risk of a cautious reaction if results or guidance disappoint. First Solar Earnings Expected to Grow

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total transaction of $1,550,570.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at $1,692,779.42. The trade was a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total value of $28,314.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at $449,913.10. This trade represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on FSLR shares. HC Wainwright began coverage on shares of First Solar in a report on Thursday, August 27th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. HSBC upgraded First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Glj Research lowered their price objective on First Solar from $315.00 to $250.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $265.73.

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.