First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Cut to Hold at Wolfe Research

Wolfe Research downgraded shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on FSLR. Needham & Company LLC raised their price objective on First Solar from $286.00 to $303.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $275.00 price target on First Solar in a report on Friday, October 31st. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $300.00 to $245.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $263.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, First Solar currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.91.

First Solar Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR opened at $197.20 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $241.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $236.34. First Solar has a 52 week low of $116.56 and a 52 week high of $285.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 2.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.88, a PEG ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 1.60.

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Aventura Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in First Solar during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the second quarter valued at $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in First Solar by 69.4% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 183 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Key First Solar News

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.