First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Upgraded by DZ Bank to “Strong Sell” Rating

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

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on FSLR. Raymond James Financial started coverage on First Solar in a report on Monday, January 12th. They set a “market perform” rating on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on shares of First Solar from $150.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Robert W. Baird restated a “neutral” rating and set a $205.00 target price (down from $264.00) on shares of First Solar in a research note on Wednesday. Roth Mkm set a $300.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Barclays reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $279.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $257.91.

First Solar Stock Down 1.4%

Shares of FSLR stock opened at $197.20 on Thursday. First Solar has a 52-week low of $116.56 and a 52-week high of $285.99. The stock 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 firm’s 50-day moving average is $241.94 and its 200-day moving average is $235.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 2.67.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.22 by ($0.38). The business had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 17.32% and a net margin of 29.28%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $3.65 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that First Solar will post 13.05 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. SFE Investment Counsel lifted its holdings in shares of First Solar by 9.1% during the 2nd quarter. SFE Investment Counsel now owns 69,810 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $11,556,000 after acquiring an additional 5,852 shares during the period. Joule Financial LLC bought a new position in First Solar in the third quarter valued at approximately $950,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. raised its position in First Solar by 22.0% during the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 77,155 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $17,015,000 after purchasing an additional 13,904 shares in the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp acquired a new position in First Solar during the second quarter valued at approximately $1,323,000. Finally, Belpointe Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in First Solar during the third quarter worth $1,193,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about First Solar

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

First Solar Company Profile

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.