Traders Purchase Large Volume of First Solar Call Options (NASDAQ:FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) saw some unusual options trading on Tuesday. Traders bought 48,646 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 97% compared to the typical daily volume of 24,675 call options.

First Solar Stock Up 4.1%

Shares of FSLR stock traded up $7.28 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $187.00. 1,643,219 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,364,580. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $203.85 and its 200-day moving average price is $219.47. First Solar has a 12 month low of $168.60 and a 12 month high of $320.95. The company has a market cap of $20.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.53, a P/E/G ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.80.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.18 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that First Solar will post 17.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Solar

In other news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 7,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,635,775.45. This represents a 31.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total value of $1,550,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at $1,692,779.42. This trade represents a 47.81% 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. Insiders sold a total of 16,681 shares of company stock valued at $3,756,286 in the last three months. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the second quarter valued at approximately $3,310,298,000. Hill City Capital LP acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $620,133,555. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new position in First Solar during the second quarter worth $212,626,000. Polar Capital Holdings Plc purchased a new stake in First Solar in the 4th quarter worth approximately $200,109,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $171,043,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have commented on FSLR. Susquehanna lifted their target price on First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of First Solar from $213.00 to $279.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Argus reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $275.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research report on Wednesday, August 26th. BMO Capital Markets cut First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, HC Wainwright began coverage on shares of First Solar in a report on Thursday, August 27th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, First Solar currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $266.33.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Truist upgraded FSLR to Buy from Hold and raised its price target to $270 from $229. Analyst Christopher Souther cited a stronger pricing outlook into the 2030s, including higher projected U.S. module average selling prices and support from domestic utility-scale demand. First Solar rating upgraded to Strong Buy at Truist
• Positive Sentiment: A Section 232 trade decision that establishes a floor under imported-panel pricing could improve First Solar’s competitive position and reduce pressure from lower-priced foreign supply. The policy is viewed as more favorable for U.S. manufacturers than for some solar peers. First Solar climbs as tariff policy supports panel pricing
• Positive Sentiment: Options activity is unusually bullish, with investors purchasing about 48,646 call options—roughly double the typical volume—signaling increased speculative interest in further gains.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect high-single-digit bottom-line growth in the company’s upcoming third-quarter report, giving investors a potential near-term catalyst. First Solar earnings preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Morningstar reduced its estimated value for First Solar to $191, warning that expiring tax benefits and intense competition could offset the long-term opportunity from rising electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence. Morningstar trims First Solar valuation

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc is a solar technology and manufacturing company that designs and produces photovoltaic (PV) solar modules for utility-scale power projects. Unlike conventional crystalline-silicon panels, its modules use thin-film semiconductor technology based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), which the company says can provide advantages in energy yield, temperature performance and lifecycle sustainability.

The company’s product portfolio includes its Series 6 and Series 7 thin-film solar modules, along with related services such as technical support, module recycling and end-of-life collection.