Mark Widmar Sells 1,526 Shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock

Key Points

• CEO Mark Widmar sold 1,526 First Solar shares at an average of $215.63 (≈$329,051) to cover tax withholding from vested awards, leaving him with 105,074 shares (a 1.43% reduction).
• First Solar beat Q1 expectations with EPS of $3.22 versus $2.87 and revenue of $1.04B (+23.6% Y/Y), reaffirmed FY26 guidance and a large contracted backlog, lifting the stock about 3.7% to $219.21 on above‑average volume.
• Analysts have trimmed some price targets but the consensus is a Moderate Buy with an average target of $246.10, and institutional investors own roughly 92% of the shares.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) CEO Mark Widmar sold 1,526 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.63, for a total value of $329,051.38. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 105,074 shares in the company, valued at $22,657,106.62. This represents a 1.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

First Solar Stock Up 3.7%

Shares of FSLR stock traded up $7.82 on Tuesday, reaching $219.21. 3,163,381 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,362,970. First Solar, Inc. has a 12-month low of $125.80 and a 12-month high of $285.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a current ratio of 2.56. The company has a market capitalization of $23.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.57. The business's 50 day moving average price is $198.46 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $231.85.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.22 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.35. The business had revenue of $1.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.03 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 30.73% and a return on equity of 18.01%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 23.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.95 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of First Solar from $275.00 to $230.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 28th. Mizuho cut their price objective on First Solar from $271.00 to $243.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 27th. Raymond James Financial started coverage on First Solar in a report on Monday, January 12th. They set a "market perform" rating for the company. Robert W. Baird restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $205.00 price objective (down from $264.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on shares of First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 20th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $246.10.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat — Q1 EPS of $3.22 (up ~65%) and revenue of $1.04B topped estimates, with margins and utilization highlighted as strengths. This is a primary driver of the rally. First Solar's Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Increase Y/Y
• Positive Sentiment: Policy optimism — a broker upgrade cites potential upside if Section 232 rulings favor U.S. module producers; investors are pricing that potential into FSLR. First Solar upgraded at Freedom Broker as Section 232 seen driving upside
• Positive Sentiment: Reaffirmed outlook & backlog — company report and market writeups note record Q1 revenue, reaffirmed FY26 guidance and a large contracted backlog (strong revenue visibility), supporting the bull case. First Solar (FSLR) Is Up 9.3% After Record Q1 Results And Reaffirmed 2026 Outlook Has The Bull Case Changed?
• Positive Sentiment: Sector tailwinds — coverage noting growing clean-energy demand and favorable sector dynamics supports sentiment toward FSLR. First Solar In Focus As Clean Energy Demand Shapes Nasdaq Composite
• Neutral Sentiment: HSBC raised its price target to $231 (hold) — a modest lift to upside expectations but stops short of a buy endorsement. HSBC adjusts price target on First Solar to $231 from $211, maintains hold rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Evercore nudged its target to $219 and kept an in-line rating — effectively neutral vs. current levels. Evercore ISI adjusts price target on First Solar to $219 from $212, maintains in-line rating
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and demand risk flagged — analysis warns that policy uncertainty and possible demand slowdowns could introduce meaningful downside if tailwinds (e.g., tax credits, tariffs) don’t materialize as expected. First Solar Suffers Regulatory/Demand Uncertainty - Wait On The Sidelines First
• Negative Sentiment: Bear case remains — other commentary emphasizes persistent downside risk tied to execution, margin pressures and macro/regulatory shocks. First Solar: Still Providing Plenty Of Downside Risk

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Aventura Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in First Solar in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Reflection Asset Management bought a new position in First Solar in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in First Solar by 117.0% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.

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