First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) CTO Markus Gloeckler Sells 3,425 Shares of Stock

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total value of $749,903.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,635,775.45. This trade represents a 31.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Markus Gloeckler also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, August 4th, Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of First Solar stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total value of $205,592.00.

First Solar Stock Down 2.8%

Shares of FSLR stock opened at $236.80 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $243.32 and a 200-day moving average of $225.08. The company has a market cap of $25.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.75. First Solar, Inc. has a 52 week low of $176.47 and a 52 week high of $320.95.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.90 by $1.02. The company had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. First Solar’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.18 EPS. Analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter worth $392,040,000. Viking Global Investors LP raised its holdings in shares of First Solar by 60.6% in the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $375,122,000 after purchasing an additional 854,919 shares during the last quarter. Polar Capital Holdings Plc bought a new position in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter valued at about $200,109,000. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 2,663.8% during the fourth quarter. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. now owns 666,307 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $174,059,000 after purchasing an additional 642,199 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 38.6% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,025,835 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $459,917,000 after purchasing an additional 564,032 shares in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently commented on FSLR. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on First Solar from $230.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Susquehanna increased their price target on First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Roth Capital reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $300.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Argus boosted their price objective on First Solar from $250.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $254.44.

Key First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings per share of $3.92 versus the $2.90 consensus estimate. Revenue was approximately $1.06 billion, and management reaffirmed its outlook, supporting confidence in execution and the company’s contracted backlog. ETFs in Spotlight as First Solar Shares Jump Post Q2 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that the Trump administration may consider tariffs or a price floor for solar-panel raw materials have boosted expectations for stronger protection of U.S. manufacturers, a potential benefit to First Solar’s domestic production and pricing. Solar Policy Reports
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism and substantial call-option activity indicate that some market participants continue to expect additional upside, supported by First Solar’s reported 45-gigawatt backlog and long-term growth prospects. First Solar Stock Price Expected to Rise
• Neutral Sentiment: A valuation analysis argues that FSLR may still trade below estimated intrinsic value, though such projections depend heavily on future earnings, backlog conversion and industry conditions. Is First Solar Still Reasonable After Its 45 GW Backlog?
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms publicized a securities class action alleging that First Solar and certain officers inadequately disclosed Series 6 production underutilization, South Carolina onshoring costs and related business risks. The August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline is keeping the allegations in focus, although the claims have not been proven. Pomerantz Class Action Announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Two executives, including CTO Markus Gloeckler, sold shares under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans. While scheduled sales do not necessarily signal deteriorating fundamentals, the reduction in their holdings may add short-term investor caution.

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.