First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Shares Gap Down on Disappointing Earnings

Shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) gapped down before the market opened on Wednesday after the company announced weaker than expected quarterly earnings. The stock had previously closed at $243.21, but opened at $197.54. First Solar shares last traded at $210.05, with a volume of 3,720,027 shares changing hands.

The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.22 by ($0.38). The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.59 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 27.73% and a return on equity of 16.61%. First Solar’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.65 EPS.

Key First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Needham raised its price target to $303 and kept a buy rating, signaling continued bullish conviction from some analysts despite recent weakness. Needham raises PT
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar signed a patent licensing agreement with Oxford PV for U.S. markets, strengthening its technology/IP access and potential product roadmap. Patent licensing with Oxford PV
• Positive Sentiment: U.S. preliminary duties on solar imports from India, Indonesia and Laos could indirectly benefit domestic module manufacturers like First Solar by protecting U.S. pricing and market share. U.S. tariff decision
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 results were mixed: revenue of $1.68B beat Street estimates (up ~11% YoY), but EPS of $4.84 missed consensus — the top‑line strength helps the growth story while the EPS miss raises short‑term execution questions. Q4 results summary
• Negative Sentiment: The company issued 2026 revenue guidance ($4.9B–$5.2B midpoint) materially below analyst consensus (~$6.2B), citing pricing pressure and tariff-related dynamics; that guidance triggered a large after‑hours/premarket selloff and is the primary driver of recent downward pressure. Downbeat 2026 guidance / Reuters
• Negative Sentiment: Several outlets and analysts flagged the earnings/guidance miss; some firms trimmed price targets or reiterated neutral stances (e.g., Robert W. Baird kept neutral and cut its PT), increasing near‑term downside risk from analyst revisions. Analyst actions and coverage

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on FSLR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on First Solar from $278.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 31st. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of First Solar in a report on Friday, October 31st. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of First Solar from $258.00 to $236.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Mizuho reduced their price target on shares of First Solar from $335.00 to $326.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $316.00 price objective on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, October 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $270.31.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,721,979 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $3,026,108,000 after buying an additional 464,130 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of First Solar by 2.1% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,326,082 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $881,680,000 after acquiring an additional 111,927 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of First Solar by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,919,991 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $761,396,000 after acquiring an additional 24,206 shares in the last quarter. Viking Global Investors LP boosted its position in 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 valued at $375,122,000 after purchasing an additional 854,919 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi boosted its position in First Solar by 9.4% during the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 2,215,461 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $578,791,000 after purchasing an additional 189,626 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

First Solar Stock Down 14.5%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a current ratio of 1.91 and a quick ratio of 1.55. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $245.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $236.31. The stock has a market cap of $22.32 billion, a PE ratio of 16.08, a P/E/G ratio of 0.31 and a beta of 1.60.

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.