First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) CTO Markus Gloeckler Sells 829 Shares of Stock

Key Points

  • First Solar CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares for $205,592 at an average price of $248, reducing his ownership by 11.1% to 6,642 shares. The sale was conducted under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, following a larger sale of 3,425 shares the previous day.
  • First Solar reported quarterly EPS of $3.92, beating the $2.90 analyst consensus, while revenue reached approximately $1.06 billion. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $254.44.
  • Institutional investors hold 92.08% of First Solar’s shares, with major funds including Norges Bank, Viking Global Investors and Amundi recently building positions. Despite positive earnings and analyst sentiment, the company faces a securities class-action lawsuit alleging inadequate disclosure of production and cost risks.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total transaction of $205,592.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 6,642 shares in the company, valued at $1,647,216. The trade was a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal 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.

Markus Gloeckler also recently made the following trade(s):

  • On Monday, August 3rd, Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ FSLR opened at $236.80 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $243.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $225.08. The company has a market capitalization of $25.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.60, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.75. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $176.47 and a 1 year high of $320.95.




First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for 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 quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.18 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.74 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently commented on FSLR. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on First Solar from $230.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Susquehanna boosted their price objective on shares of First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a "positive" rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on shares of First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, HSBC increased their target price on shares of First Solar from $211.00 to $231.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Solar presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $254.44.

Get Our Latest Research Report on FSLR

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FSLR. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at about $392,040,000. Viking Global Investors LP grew its position 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 buying an additional 854,919 shares in the last quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $200,109,000. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. increased its stake in shares of First Solar by 2,663.8% during the fourth quarter. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. now owns 666,307 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $174,059,000 after buying an additional 642,199 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi raised its holdings in First Solar by 38.6% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,025,835 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $459,917,000 after acquiring an additional 564,032 shares in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about First Solar

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

  • Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.92 versus the $2.90 consensus estimate. Revenue was approximately $1.06 billion, and management reaffirmed its outlook, supporting confidence in execution and the company’s contracted backlog. ETFs in Spotlight as First Solar Shares Jump Post Q2 Earnings Beat
  • Positive Sentiment: Reports that the Trump administration may consider tariffs or a price floor for solar-panel raw materials have boosted expectations for stronger protection of U.S. manufacturers, a potential benefit to First Solar’s domestic production and pricing. Solar Policy Reports
  • Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and substantial call-option activity indicate that some market participants continue to expect additional upside, supported by First Solar’s reported 45-gigawatt backlog and long-term growth prospects. First Solar Stock Price Expected to Rise
  • Neutral Sentiment: A valuation analysis argues that FSLR may still trade below estimated intrinsic value, though such projections depend heavily on future earnings, backlog conversion and industry conditions. Is First Solar Still Reasonable After Its 45 GW Backlog?
  • Negative Sentiment: Several law firms publicized a securities class action alleging that First Solar and certain officers inadequately disclosed Series 6 production underutilization, South Carolina onshoring costs and related business risks. The August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline is keeping the allegations in focus, although the claims have not been proven. Pomerantz Class Action Announcement
  • Negative Sentiment: Two executives, including CTO Markus Gloeckler, sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans. While scheduled sales do not necessarily signal deteriorating fundamentals, the reduction in their holdings may add short-term investor caution.

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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