First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Trading Up 6.2% – What’s Next?

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR)’s stock price traded up 6.2% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $248.78 and last traded at $249.59. 923,769 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 60% from the average session volume of 2,291,294 shares. The stock had previously closed at $235.05.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on FSLR. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of First Solar from $273.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Raymond James Financial started coverage on First Solar in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They issued a “market perform” rating on the stock. Citigroup raised their target price on First Solar from $198.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on First Solar from $240.00 to $264.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 13th. Finally, Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on First Solar from $232.00 to $247.00 in a research note on Friday, October 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Solar has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $276.76.

First Solar Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $26.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.15, a PEG ratio of 0.31 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $256.71 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $228.91.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.32 by ($0.08). First Solar had a return on equity of 16.61% and a net margin of 27.73%.The firm had revenue of $1.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.56 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.91 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 79.7% on a year-over-year basis. First Solar has set its FY 2025 guidance at 14.000-15.000 EPS. Equities analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 13.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In other news, Director Michael T. Sweeney sold 4,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $271.11, for a total transaction of $1,219,995.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 13,662 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,703,904.82. This represents a 24.78% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Georges Antoun sold 37,412 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $265.01, for a total value of $9,914,554.12. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 15,424 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,087,514.24. This represents a 70.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 48,912 shares of company stock valued at $12,971,349 over the last three months. 0.48% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. TD Private Client Wealth LLC lifted its stake in First Solar by 126.9% in the second quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 152 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Aventura Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its position in First Solar by 69.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 183 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Total Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

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.