First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Insider Sells $103,286.77 in Stock

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 479 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.63, for a total transaction of $103,286.77. Following the sale, the insider owned 9,490 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,046,328.70. The trade was a 4.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

Kuntal Kumar Verma also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Wednesday, April 15th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 573 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.00, for a total transaction of $120,330.00.
• On Tuesday, March 17th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 180 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.53, for a total transaction of $35,915.40.
• On Monday, March 16th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 392 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $200.80, for a total transaction of $78,713.60.
• On Tuesday, March 10th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 408 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.70, for a total transaction of $79,845.60.
• On Monday, March 9th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 1,386 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.36, for a total transaction of $263,838.96.
• On Wednesday, March 4th, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 728 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.95, for a total transaction of $143,379.60.
• On Tuesday, March 3rd, Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 3,426 shares of First Solar stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total transaction of $671,256.18.

First Solar Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR opened at $214.57 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $23.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $196.96 and a 200-day moving average price of $231.41. The company has a current ratio of 2.56, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. First Solar, Inc. has a 12 month low of $127.32 and a 12 month high of $285.99.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.22 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.35. The firm had revenue of $1.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.03 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 30.73% and a return on equity of 18.01%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 23.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.95 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.58 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on FSLR shares. Robert W. Baird reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $205.00 price target (down from $264.00) on shares of First Solar in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. DZ Bank raised shares of First Solar to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Argus decreased their price target on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $250.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of First Solar from $205.00 to $187.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Solar currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $246.10.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and healthy fundamentals: First Solar reported stronger‑than‑expected Q1 results (EPS and revenue upside, strong margins), which supports the company’s medium‑term earnings outlook. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage support: Several firms have reiterated buys or raised targets recently (Freedom Broker/Freedom Capital upgrade to strong‑buy, Barclays and Susquehanna issued buy notes, HSBC raised its PT to $231), giving buyers ammunition. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple executive Form 4 filings show modest insider sales; company says sales were to cover tax withholding on vested awards — routine but sometimes interpreted as short‑term selling pressure. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst scorecard is mixed: while many analysts remain constructive, several have adjusted price targets and ratings incrementally — the street’s consensus is still a “Moderate Buy” but with a wide range of PTs. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector context: peer reports are mixed (e.g., SolarEdge posted a wider Q1 loss even as revenues rose), which can create uneven flows across solar names. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and demand uncertainty flagged by commentators: several pieces warn that unresolved policy (Section 201/232 and other rules) and order cadence risks could blunt near‑term upside and increase volatility. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish analysis highlights downside scenarios — watch module ASPs, order flow and final policy outcomes; these items likely explain some of the profit‑taking after recent gains. Read More.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Joule Financial LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar in the third quarter worth about $950,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in First Solar by 22.0% in the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 77,155 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $17,015,000 after purchasing an additional 13,904 shares during the period. Belpointe Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar in the third quarter worth about $1,193,000. Candriam S.C.A. grew its holdings in First Solar by 70.2% in the third quarter. Candriam S.C.A. now owns 150,379 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $33,163,000 after purchasing an additional 62,048 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in First Solar by 3.5% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,721,979 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $3,026,108,000 after purchasing an additional 464,130 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

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.