First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Shares Cross Above 50-Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) passed above its 50 day moving average during trading on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $187.38 and traded as high as $214.87. First Solar shares last traded at $194.51, with a volume of 8,773,901 shares.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: William Blair upgraded First Solar from “market perform” to “outperform,” a more favorable view that may support investor sentiment. William Blair stock recommendations
• Positive Sentiment: Democrats’ control of both chambers of Congress fueled hopes for renewed federal support for renewable energy and domestic solar manufacturing. First Solar was among the solar stocks that rallied following the election. The company also reportedly benefits from existing tariffs that strengthen its competitive position. First Solar and clean-energy stocks after the election First Solar, tariffs and the Democratic sweep
• Positive Sentiment: Options activity was unusually high, with investors buying 67,156 call options—about 128% above the average volume cited. This suggests increased bullish positioning, though options activity does not guarantee future performance.
• Neutral Sentiment: The election may shift policy expectations, but any impact on First Solar’s earnings depends on what legislation is enacted and when. Stocks to watch after Democratic gains
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays and Guggenheim cut their price targets, signaling caution from some analysts and potentially limiting the effect of the positive news. Barclays price-target cut Guggenheim price-target cut

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently weighed in on FSLR. HSBC raised First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $199.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, October 16th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, October 30th. Needham & Company LLC lowered their price target on shares of First Solar from $303.00 to $236.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 30th. Finally, Evercore restated a “positive” rating and issued a $218.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $257.38.

First Solar Price Performance

The company has a market cap of $20.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.73. The company has a 50 day moving average of $187.38 and a 200-day moving average of $215.40.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.63. The company had revenue of $1.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.29 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 37.12% and a return on equity of 18.33%. First Solar’s revenue for the quarter was down 22.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.24 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.66 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total value of $28,314.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at $449,913.10. This trade represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 800 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.00, for a total value of $139,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 5,042 shares in the company, valued at approximately $877,308. This represents a 13.69% decrease in their position. 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 three months, insiders have sold 5,427 shares of company stock worth $1,250,221. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of First Solar during the second quarter valued at about $3,310,298,000. ABS Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,297,780,000. Hill City Capital LP bought a new stake in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at $620,133,555. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in First Solar by 7.0% during the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,535,836 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $362,396,000 after acquiring an additional 100,694 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of First Solar by 4.5% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,305,471 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $257,441,000 after buying an additional 56,300 shares during the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc is a vertically integrated solar technology and manufacturing company that designs, manufactures and sells photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. Its modules use advanced thin-film semiconductor technology based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), rather than the crystalline-silicon technology used by most solar manufacturers. The company serves utility-scale solar developers, commercial and industrial customers, and other large-scale energy users.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, First Solar operates research and development, manufacturing and recycling facilities in the United States and internationally.