Morgan Stanley Has Lowered Expectations for First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Price

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) had its target price dropped by Morgan Stanley from $275.00 to $230.00 in a note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 16.44% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on First Solar in a report on Monday, January 12th. They issued a “market perform” rating for the company. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of First Solar from $320.00 to $253.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price target on shares of First Solar from $150.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $263.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Solar presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $254.33.

First Solar Trading Down 1.2%

Shares of First Solar stock opened at $197.53 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $238.81 and its 200 day moving average is $236.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.20 billion, a PE ratio of 13.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 1.65. First Solar has a 1 year low of $116.56 and a 1 year high of $285.99. The company has a current ratio of 2.67, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued 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). The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 29.28% and a return on equity of 17.32%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.65 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that First Solar will post 13.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In related news, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 7,738 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total value of $1,516,106.34. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 91,787 shares in the company, valued at $17,983,826.91. The trade was a 7.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,273 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total transaction of $641,278.89. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 16,625 shares in the company, valued at $3,257,336.25. This trade represents a 16.45% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 27,515 shares of company stock worth $5,389,095. Company insiders own 0.48% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of First Solar by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,287 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $504,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in First Solar by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,606 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $942,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of First Solar by 18.2% during the 4th quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 292 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $76,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. FIL Ltd grew its position in shares of First Solar by 6.9% during the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 708 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $185,000 after buying an additional 46 shares during the period. Finally, Signaturefd LLC grew its position in shares of First Solar by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 1,879 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $414,000 after buying an additional 47 shares during the period. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Argus cut its price target from $300 to $250 but kept a “buy” rating, implying meaningful upside remains versus current levels. Argus adjusts price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley trimmed its target to $230 (still “overweight”), reflecting a more cautious recovery outlook but continued buy-side view. Morgan Stanley cuts price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays also lowered its target to $228 while maintaining an “overweight” rating — another signal that analysts expect upside but see nearer-term headwinds. Barclays lowers price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest updates show zero/NaN values in published feeds (likely a data-error); nothing reliable to indicate a true surge in short activity. Investors should treat those figures with caution.
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage highlights FSLR’s Q4 earnings miss and weak 2026 sales guidance as the proximate cause of the selloff; the stock plunged after those results. ETFs in Focus post earnings miss
• Negative Sentiment: A Pomerantz LLP investor‑alert says it is investigating claims on behalf of First Solar investors, introducing legal and reputational risk that can weigh on the stock. Pomerantz investor alert
• Negative Sentiment: Critical commentary points to structural risks (e.g., subsidy dependence, margin pressures) and a “two‑billion dollar” vulnerability that could amplify downside if market conditions or policy support weaken. First Solar’s $2 billion problem
• Neutral Sentiment: MarketWatch noted the stock underperformed peers despite recent intraday gains — a reminder that sector rotation and earnings surprises are driving relative moves. MarketWatch note

About First Solar

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.