Key Points
- CFO Alexander Bradley sold 14,106 shares on March 17 at an average price of $199.97 for about $2.82M, reducing his holding by ~31.98% to 30,000 shares (≈$6.0M).
- Concentrated insider selling and legal risk: Multiple senior executives also sold sizable stakes and Pomerantz LLP has launched an investor investigation, which may raise headline volatility and investor concern.
- Mixed results but positive analyst view: First Solar missed Q1 EPS estimates ($4.84 vs. $5.22) but beat revenue ($1.68B), and analysts maintain a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $248.17.
First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) insider Caroline Stockdale sold 335 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.80, for a total transaction of $67,268.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 34,060 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,839,248. This represents a 0.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.
Caroline Stockdale also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Monday, March 9th, Caroline Stockdale sold 1,041 shares of First Solar stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $190.36, for a total transaction of $198,164.76.
- On Tuesday, March 3rd, Caroline Stockdale sold 1,650 shares of First Solar stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total value of $323,284.50.
First Solar Stock Up 0.5%
Shares of NASDAQ FSLR opened at $200.42 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.67, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.51 billion, a PE ratio of 14.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.65. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $224.42 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $236.51. First Solar, Inc. has a 12-month low of $116.56 and a 12-month high of $285.99.
First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $5.22 by ($0.38). The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 29.28% and a return on equity of 17.32%. The company's revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 13.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of First Solar from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Guggenheim cut their price objective on shares of First Solar from $312.00 to $269.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Argus decreased their target price on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $250.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $291.00 to $271.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $248.17.
Read Our Latest Report on First Solar
Trending Headlines about First Solar
Here are the key news stories impacting First Solar this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim kept a Buy rating while lowering its price target to $269 from $312, implying ~34% upside from the current price — a continued institutional vote of confidence despite the cut. Guggenheim price target update
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst/media coverage lists First Solar among undervalued renewable-energy stocks, reinforcing a value/mean‑reversion investment narrative (forward P/E cited as attractive). InsiderMonkey undervalued stocks article
- Neutral Sentiment: Several small insider sales were reported (e.g., Georges Antoun sold 245 shares at ~$200.80). These single, modest dispositions are routine for insiders and may not by themselves signal a change in company outlook. Antoun Form 4
- Negative Sentiment: Concentrated executive selling: the CFO sold 14,106 shares (~$2.82M; ~31.98% reduction), the General Counsel sold 9,022 shares (~$1.8M; ~48% reduction), and the CEO sold 1,937 shares (~$389k). Large, clustered sales by senior management can weigh on sentiment because they reduce insider ownership and may prompt questions about timing or outlook. Representative SEC filing: CFO sale. CFO Form 4
- Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP issued an investor alert announcing an investigation into First Solar, which introduces legal/financial risk and can increase headline volatility and potential liability concerns. Pomerantz investor alert
Institutional Trading of First Solar
Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Aventura Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Reflection Asset Management acquired a new position in First Solar during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar in the second quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in First Solar by 117.0% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About First Solar
(
Get Free Report)
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.
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