SFE Investment Counsel Makes New Investment in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

SFE Investment Counsel acquired a new stake in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 62,790 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $14,816,000. First Solar comprises 2.0% of SFE Investment Counsel’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of FSLR. Everett Harris & Co. CA bought a new position in shares of First Solar during the second quarter valued at about $401,000. Summit Global Investments bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the second quarter worth about $798,000. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC purchased a new position in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,424,000. Cornerstone Capital Inc. purchased a new position in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $235,000. Finally, Tema ETFs LLC increased its holdings in First Solar by 9.5% during the 2nd quarter. Tema ETFs LLC now owns 1,677 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $396,000 after purchasing an additional 145 shares during the period. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of FSLR opened at $225.56 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $233.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $224.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.24 billion, a PE ratio of 13.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.75. First Solar, Inc. has a one year low of $179.06 and a one year high of $320.95.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.18 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

First Solar News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Robert W. Baird upgraded First Solar to Outperform and established a $318 price target. The firm said a Section 232 tariff decision removes a key overhang and could allow customers to resume bookings, improving the company’s outlook. First Solar Upgraded at Robert W. Baird
• Positive Sentiment: Solar power generated more electricity than wind globally for the first time last year and nearly matched nuclear generation. The milestone supports the broader growth case for solar manufacturers such as First Solar, although it does not represent a company-specific earnings update. Solar Power Hits Big Milestone, Trumping Wind For First Time
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s general counsel sold 3,700 shares worth approximately $922,706 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The transaction reduced his holdings by about 40%, but the planned nature of the sale limits its value as a signal about management’s current expectations. Jason Dymbort Sells First Solar Shares
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms are publicizing a securities class action against First Solar and certain officers. The alleged class period is February 26, 2025, through February 24, 2026, and investors have until August 24, 2026, to seek lead-plaintiff status. The notices allege securities-law violations and investor losses related to disclosures concerning tariffs and company guidance; the allegations have not been proven. Pomerantz First Solar Class Action Filing

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Barclays increased their price objective on First Solar from $213.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Zacks Research upgraded First Solar from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Susquehanna raised their price target on First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $310.00 in a report on Friday, May 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $261.79.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In related news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total value of $205,592.00. Following the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 6,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,647,216. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total value of $922,706.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,402,513.12. The trade was a 39.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 30,979 shares of company stock valued at $7,694,724 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

First Solar 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.