First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Raised to Buy at HSBC

Key Points

• HSBC upgraded First Solar to “buy” from “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $254.89.
• First Solar shares rose 4.3% to $254.63 in Friday trading, with a market capitalization of approximately $27.36 billion.
• The company reported quarterly earnings of $3.92 per share, beating the $2.90 consensus estimate, although revenue declined 3.4% year over year to about $1.06 billion. Insiders have sold $9.4 million of stock over the past 90 days.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at HSBC from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued on Friday.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on FSLR. Guggenheim raised their target price on First Solar from $279.00 to $282.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Roth Capital reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $300.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 24th. Citigroup upped their target price on First Solar from $294.00 to $297.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday. Truist Financial restated a "hold" rating and set a $229.00 price objective (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded First Solar from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $254.89.

First Solar Stock Up 4.3%

Shares of FSLR stock traded up $10.49 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $254.63. 3,288,616 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,416,888. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $242.13 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $225.09. First Solar has a fifty-two week low of $176.47 and a fifty-two week high of $320.95. The stock has a market cap of $27.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.68, a PEG ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations 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% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.18 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 17.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In other news, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 9,926 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $233.21, for a total value of $2,314,842.46. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 95,148 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $22,189,465.08. This represents a 9.45% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible 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 shares were sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total transaction of $1,550,570.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at $1,692,779.42. This represents a 47.81% 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 have sold a total of 38,505 shares of company stock worth $9,398,886 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of First Solar

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC acquired a new position in First Solar during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Reflection Asset Management acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC bought a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of First Solar by 117.0% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 92.08% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: President Donald Trump imposed a 15% tariff and minimum import prices on polysilicon and downstream products under Section 232, effective December 4, 2026. The measures are intended to reduce reliance on Chinese supply and could improve the competitive position, pricing environment and demand outlook for First Solar’s U.S.-based manufacturing operations. Solar stocks shine after Trump extends China tariffs to polysilicon products
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar publicly supported the trade action, highlighting that Chinese producers control more than 90% of global polysilicon supply. Investors viewed the policy as particularly beneficial to First Solar because of its domestic, vertically integrated thin-film manufacturing platform, which is less dependent on crystalline-silicon inputs. First Solar Applauds Comprehensive Section 232 Action on Polysilicon and Derivatives
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its First Solar price target to $313 from $300 and maintained an “overweight” rating, saying the polysilicon order is more favorable for the company than previously expected. The new target implies meaningful potential upside from recent trading levels. Wells Fargo raises First Solar price target
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent quarterly results provide additional support: First Solar reported $3.92 in earnings per share versus the $2.90 consensus estimate on approximately $1.06 billion of revenue, while management reaffirmed its outlook. However, revenue declined 3.4% year over year, leaving investors focused on the durability of future earnings and backlog conversion.
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms are promoting a securities class action against First Solar and certain officers concerning alleged disclosure failures during the February 26, 2025–February 24, 2026 class period. The August 24, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline keeps potential legal costs, reputational risk and management disclosures in focus; the allegations have not been proven. FSLR Shareholder Alert

About First Solar

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source