Orion Capital Management LLC Makes New Investment in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 5,170 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,220,000.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of FSLR. Reflection Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of First Solar during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of First Solar by 117.0% during the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: BMO upgraded First Solar to Outperform and raised its price target to $263 from $237, implying substantial upside from the reference price. BMO reportedly believes the market reaction to the latest Section 232 tariff developments was overdone. BMO upgrades First Solar as tariff selloff looks overdone
• Positive Sentiment: Argus reiterated a Buy rating on First Solar, reinforcing the view that the company’s valuation and long-term growth prospects remain attractive despite recent volatility. Argus reiterates Buy rating for First Solar
• Positive Sentiment: A climate-finance expert said Wall Street may have misinterpreted the market’s response to the latest solar-tariff announcement, potentially easing concerns that trade policy will materially damage First Solar’s outlook. Wall Street misread the solar tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: An emergency order restricting certain foreign bulk-power-system equipment and software could benefit U.S. solar and energy-equipment manufacturers by supporting domestic suppliers, although the direct impact on First Solar is uncertain. Why solar stocks were rising overnight
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s latest quarterly results exceeded earnings expectations, but revenue declined year over year, leaving investors focused on policy developments and future demand rather than the reported quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer advised investors to stay away from First Solar, while Evercore ISI maintained an In-Line rating and trimmed its price target to $218, highlighting continued analyst disagreement and near-term uncertainty. Jim Cramer comments on First Solar

First Solar Stock Down 2.7%

First Solar stock opened at $204.46 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $223.42 and its 200 day moving average is $223.38. First Solar, Inc. has a 12-month low of $182.99 and a 12-month high of $320.95. The company has a market capitalization of $21.97 billion, a PE ratio of 12.61, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. The business’s revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.18 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Solar

In other news, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the insider directly owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at $1,692,779.42. This trade represents a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,635,775.45. The trade was a 31.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 15,081 shares of company stock valued at $3,457,086 over the last ninety days. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on FSLR. Citigroup downgraded First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 24th. Susquehanna upped their price target on shares of First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $266.27.

First Solar 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.