First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Cut to Hold at Freedom Capital

Freedom Capital lowered shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on FSLR. Robert W. Baird reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $205.00 price objective (down from $264.00) on shares of First Solar in a research note on Wednesday. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on First Solar from $150.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on shares of First Solar from $286.00 to $303.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. UBS Group decreased their target price on First Solar from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Raymond James Financial started coverage on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, January 12th. They set a “market perform” rating on the stock. Twenty research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Solar has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.91.

First Solar Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of FSLR opened at $197.20 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $241.94 and its 200-day moving average is $236.34. The firm has a market cap of $21.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.88, a PEG ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 2.67. First Solar has a 52-week low of $116.56 and a 52-week high of $285.99.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.22 by ($0.38). First Solar had a return on equity of 17.32% and a net margin of 29.28%.The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.65 EPS. First Solar’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 13.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of First Solar

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Woodline Partners LP lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 40.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 9,044 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $1,143,000 after acquiring an additional 2,615 shares during the period. AlphaQuest LLC raised its position in shares of First Solar by 10.3% in the 2nd quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 1,706 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in First Solar by 10.4% during the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 34,473 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $5,707,000 after purchasing an additional 3,238 shares during the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its position in First Solar by 11.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 2,456 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $407,000 after purchasing an additional 256 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its position in shares of First Solar by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 15,470 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $2,561,000 after buying an additional 602 shares in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. tariffs on Indian solar manufacturers reduce potential low-cost competition for U.S. demand, which could benefit domestic suppliers like First Solar. India Tariff Article
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the post-earnings pullback as a buying opportunity — a “buy the weakness” thesis highlighting long-term project backlog and subsidy support (45X tax credits) for near-term profitability. Seeking Alpha Buy Thesis
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting First Solar’s role in clean-energy gains on the Nasdaq could support positive sentiment among sector-focused investors. Kalkine Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target (to $255) but kept an overweight stance — a mixed signal that reduces upside expectations while retaining conviction. Wells Fargo/PT Cut
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan also lowered price targets (Goldman to $300, JPM to $256) but maintained buy/overweight ratings, signaling confidence in medium-term fundamentals despite near-term revisions. Goldman/JPM PT Changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-wide weakness in the S&P 500 and tech dragged sentiment this week, amplifying pressure on cyclical/clean-energy names including FSLR. S&P 500 Weekly
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data reported is effectively negligible/ambiguous (zero shares reported), so short squeezes are unlikely to be a driver at present.
• Negative Sentiment: Management issued weak sales/guidance for 2026 and disappointing Q1 guidance, which triggered a sharp share decline as investors reassess revenue and backlog trajectory. Weak Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: First Solar reported Q4 EPS below consensus despite revenue beat; margin reliance on tax credits (45X) and tapering backlog raise longer-term risk concerns. Earnings Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research downgraded FSLR from “strong-buy” to “hold,” and other outlets note gap-down trading and steep short-term losses — analyst skepticism is pressuring sentiment. Wolfe Research Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz law firm opened an investor investigation, introducing potential legal/financial risk and adding to short-term uncertainty. Investor Investigation

First Solar Company 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.