DZ Bank Upgrades First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) to “Strong Sell”

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) was upgraded by research analysts at DZ Bank to a “strong sell” rating in a report issued on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on FSLR. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of First Solar from $289.00 to $312.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. HSBC reissued a “hold” rating and set a $211.00 price objective (down from $280.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Wednesday. Roth Mkm set a $300.00 target price on First Solar in a report on Friday, October 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $300.00 to $245.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price target on First Solar from $320.00 to $253.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.91.

First Solar Stock Down 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ FSLR opened at $197.20 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $21.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.88, a PEG ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a current ratio of 2.67, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. First Solar has a 12 month low of $116.56 and a 12 month high of $285.99. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $241.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $235.98.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.22 by ($0.38). The company had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 29.28% and a return on equity of 17.32%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $3.65 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that First Solar will post 13.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of First Solar

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Aventura Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 117.0% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Finally, MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. tariffs on Indian solar manufacturers reduce potential low-cost competition for U.S. demand, which could benefit domestic suppliers like First Solar. India Tariff Article
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the post-earnings pullback as a buying opportunity — a “buy the weakness” thesis highlighting long-term project backlog and subsidy support (45X tax credits) for near-term profitability. Seeking Alpha Buy Thesis
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting First Solar’s role in clean-energy gains on the Nasdaq could support positive sentiment among sector-focused investors. Kalkine Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target (to $255) but kept an overweight stance — a mixed signal that reduces upside expectations while retaining conviction. Wells Fargo/PT Cut
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan also lowered price targets (Goldman to $300, JPM to $256) but maintained buy/overweight ratings, signaling confidence in medium-term fundamentals despite near-term revisions. Goldman/JPM PT Changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-wide weakness in the S&P 500 and tech dragged sentiment this week, amplifying pressure on cyclical/clean-energy names including FSLR. S&P 500 Weekly
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data reported is effectively negligible/ambiguous (zero shares reported), so short squeezes are unlikely to be a driver at present.
• Negative Sentiment: Management issued weak sales/guidance for 2026 and disappointing Q1 guidance, which triggered a sharp share decline as investors reassess revenue and backlog trajectory. Weak Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: First Solar reported Q4 EPS below consensus despite revenue beat; margin reliance on tax credits (45X) and tapering backlog raise longer-term risk concerns. Earnings Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research downgraded FSLR from “strong-buy” to “hold,” and other outlets note gap-down trading and steep short-term losses — analyst skepticism is pressuring sentiment. Wolfe Research Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz law firm opened an investor investigation, introducing potential legal/financial risk and adding to short-term uncertainty. Investor Investigation

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.