Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Makes New $2.48 Million Investment in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new position in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 10,525 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock, valued at approximately $2,483,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Castleark Management LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $864,000. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the second quarter worth $153,165,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth $14,681,000. Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth $232,000. Finally, Fiduciary Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in First Solar during the second quarter valued at $46,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR opened at $204.46 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.61, a P/E/G ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.75. The business has a 50-day moving average of $223.42 and a two-hundred day moving average of $223.39. First Solar, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $182.99 and a fifty-two week high of $320.95.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The business had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.18 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

More First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: BMO upgraded First Solar to Outperform and raised its price target to $263 from $237, implying substantial upside from the reference price. BMO reportedly believes the market reaction to the latest Section 232 tariff developments was overdone. BMO upgrades First Solar as tariff selloff looks overdone
• Positive Sentiment: Argus reiterated a Buy rating on First Solar, reinforcing the view that the company’s valuation and long-term growth prospects remain attractive despite recent volatility. Argus reiterates Buy rating for First Solar
• Positive Sentiment: A climate-finance expert said Wall Street may have misinterpreted the market’s response to the latest solar-tariff announcement, potentially easing concerns that trade policy will materially damage First Solar’s outlook. Wall Street misread the solar tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: An emergency order restricting certain foreign bulk-power-system equipment and software could benefit U.S. solar and energy-equipment manufacturers by supporting domestic suppliers, although the direct impact on First Solar is uncertain. Why solar stocks were rising overnight
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s latest quarterly results exceeded earnings expectations, but revenue declined year over year, leaving investors focused on policy developments and future demand rather than the reported quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer advised investors to stay away from First Solar, while Evercore ISI maintained an In-Line rating and trimmed its price target to $218, highlighting continued analyst disagreement and near-term uncertainty. Jim Cramer comments on First Solar

Analyst Ratings Changes

FSLR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Evercore restated a "positive" rating and issued a $218.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an "underperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on First Solar from $245.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 18th. Weiss Ratings raised First Solar from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Truist Financial restated a "hold" rating and issued a $229.00 price objective (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, First Solar presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $266.27.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the insider directly owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,692,779.42. This trade represents a 47.81% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total transaction of $28,314.65. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at $449,913.10. The trade was a 5.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 15,081 shares of company stock worth $3,457,086. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

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