First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Rated “Moderate Buy” by Sell-Side Brokerages

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) has earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the thirty-seven research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have assigned a hold recommendation, twenty-three have issued a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $266.30.

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on FSLR shares. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of First Solar from $282.00 to $299.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Glj Research reduced their target price on First Solar from $315.00 to $250.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Robert W. Baird reduced their target price on First Solar from $318.00 to $290.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 27th.

First Solar Trading Up 0.3%

First Solar stock opened at $176.89 on Friday. First Solar has a 1-year low of $165.86 and a 1-year high of $320.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.01 billion, a PE ratio of 10.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.80. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $189.51 and its 200 day simple moving average is $216.51.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.63. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. The firm had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.29 billion. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 22.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.24 EPS. Research analysts forecast that First Solar 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: First Solar reported third-quarter earnings of $5.30 per share, above the consensus estimate of roughly $4.64–$4.67 and up from $4.24 a year earlier. The company also posted a robust 32.47% net margin. First Solar Tops Q3 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management launched a share-repurchase plan alongside the quarterly report, which could support earnings per share and signal confidence in the company’s valuation and cash-generation outlook. First Solar Posts Strong Q3 Results and Launches Buyback Plan
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar inaugurated the first phase of its South Carolina facility. The approximately $330 million plant is expected to double annual nameplate capacity to 3.4 gigawatts when its second phase is completed in mid-2027, strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity. First Solar Inaugurates South Carolina Production Facility
• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim raised its price target to $299 from $282 ahead of the report, citing attractive valuation and expected earnings growth. Guggenheim Raises First Solar Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings-call transcript is likely to provide further detail on backlog, demand, policy support, capacity expansion and full-year guidance—key factors that could determine whether the earnings beat is sustainable. First Solar Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue of $1.23 billion missed the $1.29 billion consensus estimate and declined 22.8% year over year, tempering the impact of the EPS beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors continue to monitor elevated interest rates, which can raise financing costs for utility-scale solar projects and pressure renewable-energy valuations. First Solar Faces Interest Rate Pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Weak guidance from Enphase highlighted continuing weakness in U.S. residential solar demand, weighing on sentiment across solar stocks even though First Solar primarily serves the utility-scale market. Solar Sector Falls After Enphase Guidance

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 7,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,692,779.42. The trade was a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed 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, General Counsel Jason Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the general counsel owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,402,513.12. This trade represents a 39.68% 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 sold a total of 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Toth Financial Advisory Corp purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Clearstead Trust LLC bought a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,000. Vega Investment Solutions purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $45,000. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

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.