First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Raised to Strong-Buy at Robert W. Baird

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) was upgraded by investment analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on FSLR. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Oppenheimer reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Zacks Research raised shares of First Solar from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $196.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Solar currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

First Solar Price Performance

FSLR opened at $240.91 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $238.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $225.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.85, a P/E/G ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.75. First Solar has a 12 month low of $176.47 and a 12 month high of $320.95.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.First Solar’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.18 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 17.75 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total value of $749,903.75. Following the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,635,775.45. This represents a 31.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 582 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $145,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 4,967 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,241,750. The trade was a 10.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 27,279 shares of company stock valued at $6,772,018. Company insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of First Solar

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in First Solar by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,606 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $942,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC grew its stake in First Solar by 18.2% during the 4th quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 292 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of First Solar by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 2,026 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $478,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. FIL Ltd increased its holdings in shares of First Solar by 6.9% in the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 708 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $185,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, Fielder Capital Group LLC lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Fielder Capital Group LLC now owns 1,196 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $312,000 after purchasing an additional 47 shares in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: Baird upgraded First Solar to Outperform from Neutral and raised its price target to $318 from $205. Analyst Ben Kallo said a Section 232 tariff decision removes a key overhang and could allow customer bookings to resume. First Solar raised at Baird as Section 232 clears path for bookings
• Positive Sentiment: New U.S. tariffs and minimum-price measures affecting imported polysilicon-related products could improve the competitive position of First Solar’s domestic manufacturing operations. The benefit may emerge gradually as customers adjust purchasing plans. Solar ETFs Back in Focus After New Polysilicon Tariff
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho recently maintained an Outperform rating while increasing its First Solar price target to $324 from $300, adding to a series of bullish analyst calls. Why Is FSLR Stock Rising Premarket Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s recent quarterly results and large backlog remain supportive, but investors are weighing tariff implementation timing, customer buying behavior and when greater pricing power will translate into earnings.
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz announced that a securities class action has been filed against First Solar and certain officers concerning securities purchased between February 26, 2025, and February 24, 2026. The lawsuit alleges violations of federal securities laws; the allegations have not been proven. Pomerantz Announces First Solar Class Action
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms are soliciting investors to seek lead-plaintiff status before the August 24 deadline, keeping potential litigation costs, damages and management distraction in focus. Rosen First Solar Securities Class Action Deadline

First Solar Company Profile

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.