Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 6,448 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,522,000.
Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at $3,310,298,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $392,040,000. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new position in First Solar in the second quarter worth $212,626,000. Viking Global Investors LP increased its stake in First Solar by 60.6% in the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $375,122,000 after acquiring an additional 854,919 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Polar Capital Holdings Plc bought a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at $200,109,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Evercore reiterated a “positive” rating and set a $218.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, August 17th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a report on Monday, July 20th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on First Solar from $279.00 to $282.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Mizuho set a $324.00 target price on First Solar in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $265.37.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other First Solar news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total value of $749,903.75. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,635,775.45. The trade was a 31.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed 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, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were 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 owned 5,624 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,402,513.12. The trade was a 39.68% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 15,081 shares of company stock valued at $3,457,086 in the last 90 days. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.
First Solar Stock Down 0.4%
First Solar stock opened at $205.93 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $225.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $223.58. First Solar, Inc. has a twelve month low of $182.99 and a twelve month high of $320.95. The company has a market capitalization of $22.13 billion, a PE ratio of 12.70, a P/E/G ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.75.
First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 previous year, the business earned $3.18 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Trending Headlines about First Solar
Here are the key news stories impacting First Solar this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Argus reaffirmed its Buy rating and set a $275 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels and signaling confidence in First Solar’s valuation and outlook. Benzinga rating report
- Positive Sentiment: Potential U.S. government support could benefit First Solar. New Section 232 tariffs on polysilicon imports may encourage additional domestic-solar investment, including the possibility of government-backed equity arrangements modeled on the Intel deal. However, no such investment in First Solar has been confirmed. Trump solar tariffs article
- Positive Sentiment: Value-focused coverage remains supportive. Zacks identified FSLR as a highly ranked value stock, potentially attracting investors seeking comparatively inexpensive solar exposure. Zacks value-stock article
- Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer discussed First Solar alongside several other stocks, but the report provided no specific new recommendation or fundamental update for FSLR. Jim Cramer stock discussion
- Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data showed zero shares and zero days to cover, making the figures unreliable or non-informative for trading analysis.
- Negative Sentiment: New FCC restrictions on foreign inverters are favoring SolarEdge more directly, while First Solar and Enphase drifted lower. The policy divergence suggests investors do not view FSLR as a primary beneficiary of the inverter-related rule change. SolarEdge and inverter import curbs article
- Negative Sentiment: Two law firms announced investigations or investor solicitations involving First Solar. These notices can weigh on sentiment by raising concerns about potential shareholder litigation, although they do not establish wrongdoing or financial liability. First Solar investor alert
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.
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