First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Rating Increased to Strong-Buy at Robert W. Baird

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) was upgraded by stock analysts at Robert W. Baird from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Citigroup lifted their price target on First Solar from $294.00 to $297.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on First Solar from $230.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Freedom Capital raised shares of First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 5th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on shares of First Solar from $279.00 to $282.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, First Solar has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $258.79.

First Solar Trading Up 0.7%

NASDAQ FSLR opened at $240.91 on Tuesday. First Solar has a 1-year low of $176.47 and a 1-year high of $320.95. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $238.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $225.09. The company has a market capitalization of $25.89 billion, a PE ratio of 14.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.18 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that First Solar will post 17.75 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other First Solar news, insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 582 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $145,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 4,967 shares in the company, valued at $1,241,750. This represents a 10.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total value of $1,550,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,692,779.42. This represents a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 27,279 shares of company stock worth $6,772,018. Insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of First Solar

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Woodline Partners LP boosted its position in shares of First Solar by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 9,044 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $1,143,000 after acquiring an additional 2,615 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of First Solar by 50.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 516 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $85,000 after acquiring an additional 174 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. increased its position in First Solar by 84.3% during the second quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 4,529 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $750,000 after acquiring an additional 2,072 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC bought a new position in First Solar during the second quarter worth $494,000. Finally, AXA S.A. raised its stake in First Solar by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 18,862 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $3,122,000 after purchasing an additional 1,115 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

First Solar News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Baird upgraded First Solar to Outperform from Neutral and raised its price target to $318 from $205. Analyst Ben Kallo said a Section 232 tariff decision removes a key overhang and could allow customer bookings to resume. First Solar raised at Baird as Section 232 clears path for bookings
• Positive Sentiment: New U.S. tariffs and minimum-price measures affecting imported polysilicon-related products could improve the competitive position of First Solar’s domestic manufacturing operations. The benefit may emerge gradually as customers adjust purchasing plans. Solar ETFs Back in Focus After New Polysilicon Tariff
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho recently maintained an Outperform rating while increasing its First Solar price target to $324 from $300, adding to a series of bullish analyst calls. Why Is FSLR Stock Rising Premarket Today?
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s recent quarterly results and large backlog remain supportive, but investors are weighing tariff implementation timing, customer buying behavior and when greater pricing power will translate into earnings.
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz announced that a securities class action has been filed against First Solar and certain officers concerning securities purchased between February 26, 2025, and February 24, 2026. The lawsuit alleges violations of federal securities laws; the allegations have not been proven. Pomerantz Announces First Solar Class Action
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms are soliciting investors to seek lead-plaintiff status before the August 24 deadline, keeping potential litigation costs, damages and management distraction in focus. Rosen First Solar Securities Class Action Deadline

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.