The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Invests $14.68 Million in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new stake in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 62,221 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $14,681,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned 0.06% of First Solar at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth about $232,000. Fiduciary Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $46,000. Vega Investment Solutions purchased a new stake in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,000. Partners Capital Investment Group LLP bought a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth about $416,000. Finally, Hill City Capital LP bought a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth about $620,133,555. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

First Solar Trading Down 2.7%

Shares of FSLR stock opened at $204.46 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a 12-month low of $182.99 and a 12-month high of $320.95. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $223.42 and its 200-day simple moving average is $223.38. The company has a market cap of $21.97 billion, a PE ratio of 12.61, a PEG ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.18 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.77 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total transaction of $922,706.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at $1,402,513.12. This represents a 39.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total transaction of $205,592.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 6,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,647,216. The trade was a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 15,081 shares of company stock valued at $3,457,086. 0.39% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on FSLR. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Oppenheimer reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Freedom Capital upgraded First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on First Solar from $300.00 to $310.00 in a report on Friday, May 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $266.27.

Key First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: BMO upgraded First Solar to Outperform and raised its price target to $263 from $237, implying substantial upside from the reference price. BMO reportedly believes the market reaction to the latest Section 232 tariff developments was overdone. BMO upgrades First Solar as tariff selloff looks overdone
• Positive Sentiment: Argus reiterated a Buy rating on First Solar, reinforcing the view that the company’s valuation and long-term growth prospects remain attractive despite recent volatility. Argus reiterates Buy rating for First Solar
• Positive Sentiment: A climate-finance expert said Wall Street may have misinterpreted the market’s response to the latest solar-tariff announcement, potentially easing concerns that trade policy will materially damage First Solar’s outlook. Wall Street misread the solar tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: An emergency order restricting certain foreign bulk-power-system equipment and software could benefit U.S. solar and energy-equipment manufacturers by supporting domestic suppliers, although the direct impact on First Solar is uncertain. Why solar stocks were rising overnight
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s latest quarterly results exceeded earnings expectations, but revenue declined year over year, leaving investors focused on policy developments and future demand rather than the reported quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer advised investors to stay away from First Solar, while Evercore ISI maintained an In-Line rating and trimmed its price target to $218, highlighting continued analyst disagreement and near-term uncertainty. Jim Cramer comments on First Solar

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.