First Solar, Inc. $FSLR Shares Sold by Lumbard & Kellner LLC

Key Points

• Lumbard & Kellner cut its stake in First Solar by 14.8% in Q4 to 36,236 shares (about $9.47 million), making FSLR its 7th largest holding and ~3.3% of the firm's portfolio.
• Notable insider selling: CEO Mark Widmar sold 7,738 shares (at ~$195.93) on March 3, and insiders have sold a total of 81,204 shares (~$16.04 million) over the past three months, leaving insiders with 0.39% ownership.
• First Solar posted a Q1 beat (EPS $3.22 vs. $2.87 est., revenue $1.04B up 23.6% YoY) and trades around $214.57, while analysts maintain a consensus "Moderate Buy" with a $246.10 average price target.

Lumbard & Kellner LLC lessened its holdings in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Free Report) by 14.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 36,236 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock after selling 6,317 shares during the quarter. First Solar makes up about 3.3% of Lumbard & Kellner LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding. Lumbard & Kellner LLC's holdings in First Solar were worth $9,466,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Aventura Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the second quarter worth $26,000. Pinpoint Asset Management Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new position in First Solar in the third quarter worth $44,000. Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $47,000. Finally, NBT Bank N A NY boosted its holdings in First Solar by 550.0% in the third quarter. NBT Bank N A NY now owns 221 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 187 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In other First Solar news, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 7,738 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total transaction of $1,516,106.34. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 91,787 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,983,826.91. This trade represents a 7.77% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Kuntal Kumar Verma sold 3,426 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $195.93, for a total value of $671,256.18. Following the sale, the insider owned 8,334 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,632,880.62. The trade was a 29.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 81,204 shares of company stock worth $16,043,186 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

FSLR has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on First Solar in a research note on Monday, January 12th. They issued a "market perform" rating on the stock. Bank of America lowered their price target on First Solar from $291.00 to $271.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. DZ Bank raised First Solar to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. TD Cowen lowered their target price on First Solar from $320.00 to $253.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on First Solar from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $246.10.

First Solar Trading Down 1.6%

Shares of FSLR opened at $214.57 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $196.96 and its 200 day moving average price is $231.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.86, a P/E/G ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.57. First Solar, Inc. has a 1-year low of $127.32 and a 1-year high of $285.99. The company has a current ratio of 2.56, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.87 by $0.35. The firm had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.03 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.01% and a net margin of 30.73%.First Solar's revenue was up 23.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.95 EPS. Analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.58 earnings per share for the current year.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and healthy fundamentals: First Solar reported stronger‑than‑expected Q1 results (EPS and revenue upside, strong margins), which supports the company’s medium‑term earnings outlook. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage support: Several firms have reiterated buys or raised targets recently (Freedom Broker/Freedom Capital upgrade to strong‑buy, Barclays and Susquehanna issued buy notes, HSBC raised its PT to $231), giving buyers ammunition. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple executive Form 4 filings show modest insider sales; company says sales were to cover tax withholding on vested awards — routine but sometimes interpreted as short‑term selling pressure. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst scorecard is mixed: while many analysts remain constructive, several have adjusted price targets and ratings incrementally — the street’s consensus is still a “Moderate Buy” but with a wide range of PTs. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector context: peer reports are mixed (e.g., SolarEdge posted a wider Q1 loss even as revenues rose), which can create uneven flows across solar names. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and demand uncertainty flagged by commentators: several pieces warn that unresolved policy (Section 201/232 and other rules) and order cadence risks could blunt near‑term upside and increase volatility. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish analysis highlights downside scenarios — watch module ASPs, order flow and final policy outcomes; these items likely explain some of the profit‑taking after recent gains. Read More.

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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