Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft Trims Stock Position in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut its stake in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) by 45.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,988 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock after selling 4,976 shares during the period. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft’s holdings in First Solar were worth $1,564,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in shares of First Solar by 27.1% in the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,215 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $317,000 after buying an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its holdings in shares of First Solar by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 12,357 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $3,228,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at about $242,000. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth about $217,000. Finally, Versor Investments LP purchased a new position in First Solar during the fourth quarter worth about $1,041,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar Stock Up 2.9%

FSLR stock opened at $234.60 on Thursday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $199.13 and its 200-day simple moving average is $231.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.21 billion, a PE ratio of 15.16, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.57. First Solar, Inc. has a 12 month low of $135.50 and a 12 month high of $285.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 2.56 and a quick ratio of 2.15.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 business had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.95 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Freedom Capital raised shares of First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Evercore increased their price target on shares of First Solar from $212.00 to $219.00 in a report on Monday, May 4th. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $271.00 to $243.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of First Solar from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, First Solar presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $247.03.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Solar

In related news, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 9,926 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $233.21, for a total transaction of $2,314,842.46. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 95,148 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $22,189,465.08. This represents a 9.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,640 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.95, for a total transaction of $716,898.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 8,037 shares in the company, valued at $1,582,887.15. The trade was a 31.17% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 92,430 shares of company stock valued at $18,670,055. 0.39% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: Argus raised its price target on First Solar to $275 from $250 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling confidence in further upside after recent strength. Argus Adjusts Price Target on First Solar
• Positive Sentiment: Broader solar stocks are showing improved momentum, with reports that First Solar and other clean-energy names are attempting breakouts as investors rotate back into the sector. Solar Stocks Could Have More Room to Run
• Positive Sentiment: Bloomberg reported that Chinese clean-tech firms are pulling back from the U.S. because of a tougher policy environment and possible loss of incentives, which could improve the competitive position of U.S.-based solar manufacturers such as First Solar. China’s $3 Billion US Clean Tech Exit Is an Investment Warning
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar CEO Mark Widmar disclosed two recent stock sales under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan. Insider selling can draw attention, but the transactions appear routine rather than a negative business signal.
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s shareholder/analyst call transcript was published, but no new material catalyst was highlighted in the provided headline.

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.