First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Downgraded to Strong Sell Rating by Zacks Research

Zacks Research lowered shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report released on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on FSLR. Susquehanna decreased their price target on First Solar from $292.00 to $280.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price objective on First Solar from $258.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Barclays reduced their target price on First Solar from $279.00 to $228.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 2nd. BMO Capital Markets set a $263.00 price target on First Solar in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of First Solar from $291.00 to $271.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, First Solar has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $248.17.

First Solar Trading Down 1.3%

NASDAQ FSLR opened at $197.81 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $223.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $236.24. First Solar has a twelve month low of $116.56 and a twelve month high of $285.99. The stock has a market cap of $21.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.92, a PEG ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.67.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.22 by ($0.38). First Solar had a return on equity of 17.32% and a net margin of 29.28%.The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.65 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 13.05 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Caroline Stockdale sold 335 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.80, for a total value of $67,268.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 34,060 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,839,248. This trade represents a 0.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 1,937 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.80, for a total transaction of $388,949.60. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 102,798 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,641,838.40. The trade was a 1.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 75,989 shares of company stock valued at $14,921,902 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Woodline Partners LP grew its holdings in shares of First Solar by 40.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 9,044 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $1,143,000 after purchasing an additional 2,615 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in shares of First Solar by 33.4% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 903 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $149,000 after purchasing an additional 226 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning lifted its position in First Solar by 33.0% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 23,341 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $3,864,000 after purchasing an additional 5,789 shares during the period. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its position in First Solar by 24.6% in the second quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 9,166 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $1,517,000 after purchasing an additional 1,807 shares during the period. Finally, Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. boosted its stake in First Solar by 26.0% during the second quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 26,400 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $4,370,000 after buying an additional 5,441 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim kept a Buy rating and trimmed its price target to $269 (from $312) — still implying sizable upside and signaling institutional conviction despite the cut. Guggenheim price target update
• Positive Sentiment: Polen Capital highlighted First Solar’s CdTe technology and favorable policy momentum (“One Big Beautiful Bill”), reinforcing the company’s competitive positioning in utility-scale solar. Polen Capital investor letter
• Positive Sentiment: Several media/analyst pieces continue to label FSLR undervalued on forward P/E metrics, which can attract value-focused buyers and support mean‑reversion. Undervalued renewable energy roundup
• Neutral Sentiment: Evercore ISI lowered its price target to $212 (from $241) but retained an In‑Line rating — a recalibration rather than a downgrade that may temper upside expectations. Evercore ISI price target cut
• Neutral Sentiment: Small, routine insider sales were reported (e.g., CAO Nathan Theurer sold 96 shares); such filings are common and often reflect personal liquidity rather than a signal on fundamentals. InsiderTrades CAO sale
• Negative Sentiment: Concentrated executive selling: multiple senior officers — notably the CFO (large 14,106‑share sale), General Counsel and CEO — disclosed significant reductions in positions. Clustered large sales from top executives are amplifying negative sentiment and raising investor questions. CFO Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP issued an investor alert announcing an investigation into First Solar, introducing legal risk and potential headline‑driven volatility that investors should monitor closely. Pomerantz investor alert

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.