Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Put Options on First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Stock traders bought 41,672 put options on the stock. This is an increase of 77% compared to the average daily volume of 23,494 put options.

First Solar Stock Down 3.6%

First Solar stock traded down $8.20 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $217.36. 1,168,159 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,420,556. The company has a market cap of $23.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.40, a P/E/G ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.76. First Solar has a twelve month low of $182.99 and a twelve month high of $320.95. The company has a fifty day moving average of $233.60 and a 200-day moving average of $224.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.First Solar’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.18 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that First Solar will post 17.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

First Solar News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s latest quarterly results remain a key support: second-quarter net income reached $423 million, full-year 2026 guidance was reaffirmed, and the company reported a contracted sales backlog of 45.1 gigawatts through 2030. Analysts’ median price target of $245 also remains above the recent trading level.
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning was mixed in the latest quarter, with 488 investors adding shares and 610 reducing positions. Major buyers included Capital World Investors, D. E. Shaw and JPMorgan, while Millennium Management cut its position substantially.
• Negative Sentiment: Investors continued to assess uncertainty surrounding U.S. solar trade policy. A recent White House proclamation imposed a 15% duty on imports of polysilicon derivatives and established a minimum import-price framework. Although the measures may benefit some domestic producers, they could also affect industry demand, pricing and customer purchasing decisions. First Solar’s 2026 outlook still incorporates a net tariff-related impact. First Solar Slides as Investors Weigh Tariff Uncertainty and Recent Policy Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms publicized a securities class-action lawsuit and an August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline. The case alleges that First Solar made misleading statements related to tariffs and production-facility utilization. These are allegations, not a court finding, but the repeated notices are adding to investor sentiment risk. FSLR Shareholder Alert
• Negative Sentiment: Put-option volume was approximately 77% above average, indicating increased demand for downside protection or bearish speculation. In addition, reported insider trading showed 141 sales and no purchases over the past six months, including sales by senior executives.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have commented on FSLR shares. HSBC raised First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Oppenheimer reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. Roth Capital reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Mizuho set a $324.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a report on Thursday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $310.00 in a research report on Friday, May 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.75.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total transaction of $1,550,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 7,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,692,779.42. This represents a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total value of $922,706.00. Following the sale, the general counsel owned 5,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,402,513.12. This represents a 39.68% decrease in their position. 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 a total of 30,979 shares of company stock worth $7,694,724 over the last 90 days. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Palogic Value Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,026,000. Panoramic Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth about $7,669,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $171,043,000. Freestone Grove Partners LP acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $7,185,000. Finally, Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec acquired a new position in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth about $36,252,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.