Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI Makes New $5.71 Million Investment in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI bought a new position in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 24,212 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $5,713,000.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth $3,310,298,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at $392,040,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $212,626,000. Viking Global Investors LP raised its position in shares of First Solar by 60.6% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $375,122,000 after acquiring an additional 854,919 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Polar Capital Holdings Plc bought a new stake in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth $200,109,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

First Solar News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s latest results remain a fundamental support: the company reported quarterly earnings of $3.92 per share versus the $2.90 analyst consensus, reaffirmed its 2026 outlook and cited a contracted sales backlog of 45.1 gigawatts through 2030. Revenue was approximately $1.06 billion. First Solar Slides as Investors Weigh Tariff Uncertainty and Recent Policy Risks
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning was mixed in the latest quarter: 488 investors added FSLR shares, while 610 reduced their holdings. Several large funds, including Capital World Investors, D. E. Shaw and JPMorgan, reported sizable additions, partly offset by reductions from other managers.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms publicized an existing securities class-action lawsuit and the August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline. The suit reportedly concerns alleged misrepresentations about tariffs, guidance and production-facility utilization; the allegations have not been proven, but the repeated notices increase reputational and litigation overhang. FSLR Class Action Notice
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned about U.S. solar trade policy. A new 15% duty on polysilicon derivatives and a minimum import-price framework could benefit domestic manufacturers over time, but may also disrupt demand, pricing and customer purchasing decisions. First Solar’s own 2026 outlook continues to include a net tariff-related impact. Tariff Uncertainty and Recent Policy Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Put-option volume rose about 77% above its typical level, signaling increased demand for downside protection or bearish speculation. In addition, reported insider activity showed sales but no open-market purchases over the past six months, another factor that may weigh on confidence.

First Solar Trading Down 3.4%

First Solar stock opened at $217.85 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.43, a PEG ratio of 0.49 and a beta of 1.76. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $182.99 and a 1 year high of $320.95. The business has a 50-day moving average of $232.45 and a 200-day moving average of $224.63.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The company had revenue of $1.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.18 EPS. First Solar’s revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.75 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

FSLR has been the subject of several analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price target on shares of First Solar from $217.00 to $197.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of First Solar from $213.00 to $279.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $229.00 target price (down from $249.00) on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Oppenheimer reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $261.75.

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In other First Solar news, General Counsel Jason E. Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total value of $922,706.00. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,402,513.12. This trade represents a 39.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total transaction of $205,592.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 6,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,647,216. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 30,979 shares of company stock valued at $7,694,724. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

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.