First Solar’s (FSLR) “Neutral” Rating Reiterated at Robert W. Baird

Robert W. Baird reissued their neutral rating on shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a $205.00 price target on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, down from their previous price target of $264.00.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on First Solar from $244.00 to $258.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Morgan Stanley set a $275.00 target price on First Solar in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Bank of America cut their price target on First Solar from $291.00 to $271.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $263.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Twenty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, First Solar currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $257.91.

First Solar Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of First Solar stock opened at $197.20 on Wednesday. First Solar has a 12-month low of $116.56 and a 12-month high of $285.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $241.94 and a 200 day simple moving average of $235.98. The company has a quick ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 2.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.22 by ($0.38). The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 17.32% and a net margin of 29.28%.First Solar’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.65 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that First Solar will post 13.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of FSLR. Norges Bank bought a new position in First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $392,040,000. Viking Global Investors LP lifted its stake in shares of First Solar by 60.6% in the 2nd 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 period. Polar Capital Holdings Plc bought a new position in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter worth $200,109,000. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. boosted its position in shares of First Solar by 2,663.8% in the 4th quarter. Lightrock Netherlands B.V. now owns 666,307 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $174,059,000 after purchasing an additional 642,199 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi grew its stake 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 worth $459,917,000 after purchasing an additional 564,032 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. tariffs on Indian solar manufacturers reduce potential low-cost competition for U.S. demand, which could benefit domestic suppliers like First Solar. India Tariff Article
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators view the post-earnings pullback as a buying opportunity — a “buy the weakness” thesis highlighting long-term project backlog and subsidy support (45X tax credits) for near-term profitability. Seeking Alpha Buy Thesis
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting First Solar’s role in clean-energy gains on the Nasdaq could support positive sentiment among sector-focused investors. Kalkine Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target (to $255) but kept an overweight stance — a mixed signal that reduces upside expectations while retaining conviction. Wells Fargo/PT Cut
• Neutral Sentiment: Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan also lowered price targets (Goldman to $300, JPM to $256) but maintained buy/overweight ratings, signaling confidence in medium-term fundamentals despite near-term revisions. Goldman/JPM PT Changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-wide weakness in the S&P 500 and tech dragged sentiment this week, amplifying pressure on cyclical/clean-energy names including FSLR. S&P 500 Weekly
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data reported is effectively negligible/ambiguous (zero shares reported), so short squeezes are unlikely to be a driver at present.
• Negative Sentiment: Management issued weak sales/guidance for 2026 and disappointing Q1 guidance, which triggered a sharp share decline as investors reassess revenue and backlog trajectory. Weak Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: First Solar reported Q4 EPS below consensus despite revenue beat; margin reliance on tax credits (45X) and tapering backlog raise longer-term risk concerns. Earnings Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research downgraded FSLR from “strong-buy” to “hold,” and other outlets note gap-down trading and steep short-term losses — analyst skepticism is pressuring sentiment. Wolfe Research Downgrade
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz law firm opened an investor investigation, introducing potential legal/financial risk and adding to short-term uncertainty. Investor Investigation

About First Solar

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.