Farley Capital L.P. Buys New Position in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Key Points

• Farley Capital acquired 52,285 First Solar shares worth approximately $12.3 million, making FSLR about 9.7% of its portfolio and its fourth-largest holding. Institutional investors collectively own 92.08% of the company.
• First Solar reported quarterly EPS of $3.92, beating estimates of $2.90, while revenue of $1.06 billion matched expectations; year-over-year revenue declined 3.4%.
• Insiders sold 30,979 shares worth roughly $7.7 million during the quarter under pre-arranged trading plans. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $261.79, above the stock’s reported $225.56 opening price.

Farley Capital L.P. bought a new stake in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 52,285 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock, valued at approximately $12,337,000. First Solar accounts for approximately 9.7% of Farley Capital L.P.'s holdings, making the stock its 4th largest position.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Woodline Partners LP increased its stake in shares of First Solar by 40.7% during 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 lifted its position in 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 purchasing an additional 174 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its position in First Solar by 84.3% in the second quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 4,529 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $750,000 after purchasing an additional 2,072 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC bought a new position in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at $494,000. Finally, AXA S.A. boosted 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 in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In other news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total value of $749,903.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,635,775.45. This represents a 31.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 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 that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total transaction of $1,550,570.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,642 shares of the company's stock, 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 quarter, insiders have sold 30,979 shares of company stock worth $7,694,724. Company insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

First Solar Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of First Solar stock opened at $225.56 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a 12 month low of $179.06 and a 12 month high of $320.95. The stock has a market cap 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. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $233.60 and a 200-day simple moving average of $224.87.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm 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%.First Solar's quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.18 earnings per share. Analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on FSLR. Oppenheimer reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Freedom Capital upgraded First Solar from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. Citigroup raised their target price on First Solar from $294.00 to $297.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Weiss Ratings raised First Solar from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Thursday, June 25th. Finally, Truist Financial reissued a "hold" rating and issued a $229.00 price target (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. 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 given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, First Solar presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $261.79.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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

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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