First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Reaches New 52-Week Low – What’s Next?

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR)’s stock price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday. The company traded as low as $166.10 and last traded at $167.42, with a volume of 200,390 shares. The stock had previously closed at $171.99.

Key First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investors appear to be buying FSLR ahead of its scheduled October 29 third-quarter results. Strong solar demand and generally favorable analyst sentiment, including price targets well above the current trading level, are supporting expectations. First Solar jumps as lower Treasury yields and earnings anticipation appear to support solar names
• Positive Sentiment: Lower Treasury yields have improved the environment for rate-sensitive, capital-intensive clean-energy companies. First Solar’s stated expectation of approximately 25 gigawatts of global annual nameplate capacity in 2026 also reinforces its scale and growth narrative. First Solar market analysis
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar will inaugurate the first phase of its new Gaffney, South Carolina, production facility on October 28. The event, expected to include senior state and federal officials, highlights the company’s U.S. manufacturing expansion and could strengthen its position amid domestic-content and supply-chain priorities. First Solar to Inaugurate First Phase of South Carolina Production Facility
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning was mixed: 494 investors added FSLR shares in their latest reported quarter while 458 reduced positions, suggesting continued conviction but also disagreement over the outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Trade-policy uncertainty and underutilized overseas facilities could weigh on third-quarter results and margins, creating downside risk if management issues cautious guidance. First Solar to Release Q3 Earnings: Here’s What to Expect
• Negative Sentiment: Reported insider activity was entirely selling over the past six months, including sales by Chief Executive Officer Mark Widmar. Separately, put-option volume was unusually elevated, indicating some traders are hedging against or positioning for a decline.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on shares of First Solar in a report on Thursday, August 27th. They issued a “market perform” rating on the stock. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on shares of First Solar from $318.00 to $290.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of First Solar from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on First Solar from $256.00 to $252.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $266.30.

First Solar Price Performance

The company has a market cap of $18.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.84 and a beta of 1.80. The business has a 50-day moving average of $191.29 and a two-hundred day moving average of $217.17.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. The firm had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. The company’s revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.18 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at First Solar

In related news, EVP Samantha Sloan sold 127 shares of the 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 owned 2,018 shares in the company, valued at approximately $449,913.10. This represents a 5.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, General Counsel Jason Dymbort sold 3,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.38, for a total transaction of $922,706.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel directly owned 5,624 shares in the company, valued at $1,402,513.12. This trade represents a 39.68% 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. Insiders have sold a total of 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286 in the last 90 days. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of FSLR. Toth Financial Advisory Corp acquired a new stake in First Solar in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Vega Investment Solutions acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $40,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter worth $45,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc is a vertically integrated solar technology and manufacturing company that designs, manufactures and sells photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. Its modules use advanced thin-film semiconductor technology based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), rather than the crystalline-silicon technology used by most solar manufacturers. The company serves utility-scale solar developers, commercial and industrial customers, and other large-scale energy users.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, First Solar operates research and development, manufacturing and recycling facilities in the United States and internationally.