First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Shares Purchased by SFE Investment Counsel

SFE Investment Counsel boosted its position in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Free Report) by 63.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 37,400 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock after purchasing an additional 14,565 shares during the period. First Solar makes up 1.7% of SFE Investment Counsel's holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. SFE Investment Counsel's holdings in First Solar were worth $6,443,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Pacific Financial purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Estabrook Capital Management purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Headinvest LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Harbor Investment Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in First Solar during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar Stock Performance

NASDAQ:FSLR traded down $3.72 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $174.29. 1,631,326 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,077,892. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.52, a P/E/G ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 1.41. The company has a 50-day moving average of $160.86 and a 200 day moving average of $156.05. The company has a quick ratio of 2.92, a current ratio of 3.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. First Solar, Inc. has a 1-year low of $129.21 and a 1-year high of $232.00.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.25 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.19 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.31 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 25.03% and a return on equity of 13.80%. First Solar's quarterly revenue was up 15.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.07) EPS. Research analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 13.55 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

FSLR has been the topic of several recent research reports. DZ Bank started coverage on shares of First Solar in a research note on Wednesday. They set a "buy" rating and a $205.00 target price on the stock. Roth Mkm reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $230.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a report on Thursday. Susquehanna reiterated a "positive" rating and set a $258.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, April 5th. Oppenheimer reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $269.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of First Solar from $187.00 to $194.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, First Solar presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $227.04.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other First Solar news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 679 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $108,640.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer now owns 14,473 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,315,680. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other First Solar news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 679 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $108,640.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer now owns 14,473 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,315,680. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Georges Antoun sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.00, for a total transaction of $422,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 37,412 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,584,512. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 26,620 shares of company stock worth $4,269,540. 0.58% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About First Solar

First Solar, Inc, a solar technology company, provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions in the United States, France, Japan, Chile, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells PV solar modules with a thin film semiconductor technology that provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules.