First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) CTO Markus Gloeckler Sells 800 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

  • First Solar CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 800 shares at an average price of $174, generating $139,200 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. He continues to own 5,042 shares, and has made several additional sales in recent months.
  • First Solar reported quarterly EPS of $3.92, beating estimates of $2.90, while revenue reached $1.06 billion. However, revenue declined 3.4% year over year, and the stock was trading near its 52-week low at $174.61.
  • Despite a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and $266.23 price target, the company faces inventory, tariff, pricing and project-start pressures; heightened put-option activity and several analyst price-target cuts signal near-term caution.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 800 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.00, for a total value of $139,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 5,042 shares in the company, valued at $877,308. This trade represents a 13.69% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

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

  • On Tuesday, September 1st, Markus Gloeckler sold 800 shares of First Solar stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.00, for a total value of $160,000.00.
  • On Tuesday, August 4th, Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total transaction of $205,592.00.
  • On Monday, August 3rd, Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of First Solar stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75.

First Solar Price Performance




Shares of FSLR opened at $174.61 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a 1-year low of $168.60 and a 1-year high of $320.95. The company has a 50-day moving average of $207.55 and a 200 day moving average of $220.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.77, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.80.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion during 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 firm's quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $3.18 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.64 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: Patent lawsuit could protect technology and pricing: First Solar sued JA Solar and American Panel Solutions, reportedly a Corning subsidiary, alleging infringement of its U.S. patent covering manufacturing methods for TOPCon solar cells. Successful enforcement could help protect First Solar’s intellectual property and competitive position. First Solar Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against JA Solar and American Panel Solutions
  • Positive Sentiment: Potential earnings support: First Solar has a history of exceeding earnings expectations. Analysts are watching the upcoming report for evidence that strong execution and the company’s relatively low valuation can offset industry headwinds. Will First Solar Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
  • Neutral Sentiment: Higher put-option activity signals caution: Traders purchased 31,358 put options, about 21% above average volume. This indicates increased hedging or bearish speculation ahead of earnings, but it does not necessarily represent a change in the company’s fundamentals.
  • Negative Sentiment: Inventory and policy pressures remain significant: Elevated U.S. solar-panel inventories, slower utility-scale project starts, tight pricing, and a new 15% tariff on polysilicon derivatives are complicating supply-chain planning and could pressure margins or near-term demand. How Investors Are Reacting to First Solar Inventory Glut, New Tariffs and Slower Project Starts
  • Negative Sentiment: Analyst target reduction adds pressure: Piper Sandler cut its price target for First Solar, reinforcing concerns about near-term industry conditions and the stock’s substantial decline from its 12-month high. First Solar Stock Price Target Cut by Piper Sandler

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein dropped their price objective on First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on First Solar in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on First Solar from $318.00 to $290.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, July 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on 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-three have assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $266.23.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on First Solar

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Root Financial Partners LLC boosted its position in First Solar by 18.2% during the 4th quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 292 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $76,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of First Solar by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Fiduciary Financial Group LLC now owns 2,026 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $478,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Burford Brothers Inc. raised its position in shares of First Solar by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Burford Brothers Inc. now owns 19,131 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $3,774,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. raised its position in shares of First Solar by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. Hilltop Holdings Inc. now owns 1,608 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $317,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted its stake in shares of First Solar by 0.3% during the 2nd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 17,102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $3,973,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

First Solar, Inc is a solar technology and manufacturing company that designs and produces photovoltaic (PV) solar modules for utility-scale power projects. Unlike conventional crystalline-silicon panels, its modules use thin-film semiconductor technology based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), which the company says can provide advantages in energy yield, temperature performance and lifecycle sustainability.

The company's product portfolio includes its Series 6 and Series 7 thin-film solar modules, along with related services such as technical support, module recycling and end-of-life collection.

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