Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Price

Key Points

• Barclays cut First Solar’s price target to $230 from $259 while maintaining an “overweight” rating, implying roughly 26% upside from the stock’s previous close.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: First Solar has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $257.38, despite several recent target reductions.
• First Solar’s latest quarter beat EPS expectations at $5.30, but revenue fell 22.8% year over year to $1.23 billion and missed estimates, highlighting ongoing concerns about growth and policy uncertainty.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by equities research analysts at Barclays from $259.00 to $230.00 in a note issued to investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an "overweight" rating on the solar cell manufacturer's stock. Barclays's price target suggests a potential upside of 26.34% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on FSLR. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of First Solar from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Friday, October 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of First Solar from $313.00 to $260.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "hold" rating and set a $199.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, October 16th. HSBC upgraded First Solar from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, TD Cowen raised First Solar to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, October 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $257.38.

First Solar Price Performance

NASDAQ FSLR traded up $7.65 on Monday, reaching $182.05. The stock had a trading volume of 3,304,556 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,353,969. First Solar has a 1-year low of $165.86 and a 1-year high of $320.95. The company has a market cap of $19.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 1.73. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $188.72 and a two-hundred day moving average of $216.19.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 EPS 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%. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 22.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.24 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that First Solar will post 17.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other First Solar news, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $449,913.10. This represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total transaction of $922,706.00. Following the transaction, the general counsel directly 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. 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. Insiders sold a total of 6,256 shares of company stock valued at $1,455,813 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Clearstead Trust LLC bought a new position in First Solar during the second quarter worth $34,000. Vega Investment Solutions bought a new stake in First Solar during the second quarter valued at $40,000. Toth Financial Advisory Corp bought a new stake in First Solar during the third quarter valued at $32,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. bought a new stake in First Solar during the second quarter valued at $44,000. Finally, Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth about $45,000. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company's stock.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar authorized a share-repurchase program of up to $500 million, which could support earnings per share and signal management’s confidence in the company’s long-term value. The company also added 1.4 gigawatts of U.S. gross bookings at $0.36 per watt. First Solar: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Positive Sentiment: FSLR participated in a broader solar-sector recovery after steep earnings-driven declines among residential solar companies. The rebound improved sentiment toward solar stocks and helped lift First Solar alongside Enphase Energy and Sunrun. Solar Stocks Rebound; First Solar Climbs
• Neutral Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane began research coverage on First Solar, potentially increasing institutional attention, although the initial rating and target were not provided. First Solar Research Coverage Started at BNP Paribas Exane
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple firms reduced their FSLR price targets. Barclays cut its target to $230 from $259, while Robert W. Baird lowered its target to $266 from $290 and Guggenheim reduced its target to $297 from $299. Despite the cuts, Baird maintained an “outperform” rating and Guggenheim retained a “buy” rating. Barclays Adjusts Price Target on First Solar
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter revenue fell 22.8% year over year to $1.23 billion and missed estimates, while full-year revenue guidance was below Wall Street expectations. Stronger-than-expected adjusted EPS and pricing strength provided some offset, but bookings growth and policy uncertainty remain concerns. FSLR Q3 Deep Dive

About First Solar

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.

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