First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Price Target Cut to $169.00 by Analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) had its price objective lowered by Sanford C. Bernstein from $197.00 to $169.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. Sanford C. Bernstein currently has an underperform rating on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on FSLR. Guggenheim lifted their target price on shares of First Solar from $282.00 to $299.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $255.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday. Raymond James Financial began coverage on First Solar in a report on Thursday, August 27th. They set a “market perform” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $256.00 to $252.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 19th. Finally, Truist Financial upgraded shares of First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $229.00 to $270.00 in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $259.62.

First Solar Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR opened at $174.40 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.74 billion, a PE ratio of 10.09, a PEG ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.80. First Solar has a 1-year low of $165.86 and a 1-year high of $320.95. The business’s 50 day moving average is $188.72 and its 200-day moving average is $216.19.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.67 by $0.63. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.78% and a net margin of 37.12%. The business had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.29 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.24 earnings per share. First Solar’s revenue was down 22.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that First Solar will post 17.63 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In other First Solar news, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total value of $28,314.65. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $449,913.10. This trade represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 7,471 shares in the company, valued at $1,635,775.45. The trade was a 31.43% 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 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth $3,310,298,000. ABS Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,297,780,000. Hill City Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $620,133,555. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its holdings in First Solar by 7.0% in the second 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 period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in First Solar by 4.5% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,305,471 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $257,441,000 after acquiring an additional 56,300 shares during the last quarter. 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: 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.