Samantha Sloan Sells 127 Shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock

Key Points

• First Solar EVP Samantha Sloan sold 127 shares at an average price of $222.95, worth $28,314.65. The sale covered tax withholding tied to vested equity awards, reducing her direct holdings by 5.92% to 2,018 shares.
• First Solar’s shares traded near $218.15, while the company recently reported quarterly EPS of $3.92, exceeding analysts’ $2.90 estimate. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of $264.44.
• Institutional investors own 92.08% of FSLR, and several funds increased their positions recently. However, changing U.S. tariffs and import rules, elevated put-option activity and a proposed securities class action create notable risks for the stock.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) EVP Samantha Sloan sold 127 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total value of $28,314.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $449,913.10. This trade represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards.

First Solar Trading Up 0.1%

NASDAQ:FSLR traded up $0.30 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $218.15. 1,015,719 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,416,391. The business's 50-day moving average price is $232.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $224.63. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $182.99 and a 1 year high of $320.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.43, a P/E/G ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.76.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 company's quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.18 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.75 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of FSLR. Woodline Partners LP boosted its holdings in shares of First Solar by 40.7% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 9,044 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $1,143,000 after buying an additional 2,615 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised 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 acquiring an additional 174 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. raised 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 acquiring an additional 2,072 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth $494,000. Finally, AXA S.A. boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 18,862 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $3,122,000 after acquiring an additional 1,115 shares during the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights First Solar as a strong momentum stock, while its latest quarterly results exceeded EPS expectations and management reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance. The company also reported a contracted sales backlog of approximately 45.1 gigawatts through 2030, supporting long-term revenue visibility. Here's Why First Solar Is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Solar demand remains strong, but changing U.S. policy, tariffs and import rules are reshaping industry economics. A new 15% duty on polysilicon derivatives and a minimum import-price framework could benefit domestic manufacturers such as First Solar, while also creating uncertainty around customer demand, pricing and 2026 earnings. 3 Solar Stocks to Watch as Policy Shifts Reshape the Industry
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning is mixed: 488 investors added FSLR shares in the latest quarter, while 610 reduced positions. Analysts’ median price target of $245 remains above the current trading level, although targets vary considerably, reflecting differing views on policy and execution risks.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms are promoting a securities class action covering investors who purchased shares from February 26, 2025, through February 24, 2026. The lawsuit alleges that First Solar and certain executives misrepresented tariff exposure and production-facility utilization; the August 24, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline keeps legal risk prominent, although the allegations have not been proven. Kaplan Fox First Solar Class Action Notice
• Negative Sentiment: Options activity also signals caution: traders purchased 41,672 put options, roughly 77% above average volume. Reported insider activity shows selling but no purchases over the past six months, adding another potential sentiment headwind. Large Put-Option Activity in First Solar

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have weighed in on FSLR. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a "hold" rating and set a $229.00 price target (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. Evercore reiterated a "positive" rating and issued a $218.00 price target on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of First Solar from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer restated a "market perform" rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $264.44.

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.

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.

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