Trust Co. of Vermont Takes $1.92 Million Position in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 8,143 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,921,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at about $392,040,000. Viking Global Investors LP grew its holdings in shares of First Solar by 60.6% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $375,122,000 after purchasing an additional 854,919 shares during the last quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $200,109,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the second quarter valued at approximately $164,962,000. Finally, Amundi raised its holdings in First Solar by 38.6% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 2,025,835 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $459,917,000 after buying an additional 564,032 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s latest results remain a fundamental support: the company reported quarterly earnings of $3.92 per share versus the $2.90 analyst consensus, reaffirmed its 2026 outlook and cited a contracted sales backlog of 45.1 gigawatts through 2030. Revenue was approximately $1.06 billion. First Solar Slides as Investors Weigh Tariff Uncertainty and Recent Policy Risks
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning was mixed in the latest quarter: 488 investors added FSLR shares, while 610 reduced their holdings. Several large funds, including Capital World Investors, D. E. Shaw and JPMorgan, reported sizable additions, partly offset by reductions from other managers.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms publicized an existing securities class-action lawsuit and the August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline. The suit reportedly concerns alleged misrepresentations about tariffs, guidance and production-facility utilization; the allegations have not been proven, but the repeated notices increase reputational and litigation overhang. FSLR Class Action Notice
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned about U.S. solar trade policy. A new 15% duty on polysilicon derivatives and a minimum import-price framework could benefit domestic manufacturers over time, but may also disrupt demand, pricing and customer purchasing decisions. First Solar’s own 2026 outlook continues to include a net tariff-related impact. Tariff Uncertainty and Recent Policy Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Put-option volume rose about 77% above its typical level, signaling increased demand for downside protection or bearish speculation. In addition, reported insider activity showed sales but no open-market purchases over the past six months, another factor that may weigh on confidence.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In related news, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total transaction of $922,706.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at $1,402,513.12. The trade was a 39.68% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Caroline Stockdale sold 10,628 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $275.60, for a total transaction of $2,929,076.80. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 23,792 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,557,075.20. This represents a 30.88% 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. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 30,979 shares of company stock worth $7,694,724. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FSLR has been the topic of several recent research reports. Roth Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Truist Financial restated a “hold” rating and issued a $229.00 price target (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of First Solar from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Evercore reiterated a “positive” rating and set a $218.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a report on Monday. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, July 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $261.75.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR opened at $217.85 on Tuesday. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $182.99 and a 1 year high of $320.95. The business’s 50-day moving average is $232.45 and its 200-day moving average is $224.63. The company has a market capitalization of $23.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.43, a P/E/G ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.76.

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 business 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%.The firm’s revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.18 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.75 EPS for the current year.

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.