First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Price Target Cut to $307.00 by Analysts at Morgan Stanley

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) had its price target decreased by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $326.00 to $307.00 in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the solar cell manufacturer’s stock. Morgan Stanley‘s target price suggests a potential upside of 79.76% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of First Solar from $318.00 to $290.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on First Solar from $260.00 to $251.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, September 30th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of First Solar from $282.00 to $299.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of First Solar from $236.00 to $232.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Finally, Glj Research lowered shares of First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $161.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Friday. Two research 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 given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $256.57.

First Solar Stock Down 3.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:FSLR traded down $6.11 during trading on Friday, reaching $170.78. 1,697,473 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,344,697. The company’s 50 day moving average is $189.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $216.51. First Solar has a 52 week low of $165.86 and a 52 week high of $320.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.35 billion, a PE ratio of 10.52, a PEG ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 1.80.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $5.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.67 by $0.63. The firm had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.29 billion. First Solar had a net margin of 32.47% and a return on equity of 18.02%. The company’s revenue was down 22.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.24 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that First Solar will post 17.63 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at First Solar

In other news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 3,425 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.95, for a total transaction of $749,903.75. Following the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 7,471 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,635,775.45. This represents a 31.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total transaction of $28,314.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $449,913.10. This represents a 5.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 16,681 shares of company stock worth $3,756,286. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Toth Financial Advisory Corp acquired a new position in First Solar in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new position in First Solar during the second quarter worth about $34,000. Vega Investment Solutions acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at about $40,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in First Solar during the second quarter worth $44,000. Finally, Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the 2nd quarter valued at $45,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key First Solar News

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

• Positive Sentiment: First Solar reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $5.30 per share, exceeding the roughly $4.67 analyst consensus by approximately 14%. Net income increased 25% year over year despite lower sales, helped by strong margins and cost controls. First Solar’s Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Decrease Y/Y
• Positive Sentiment: The company highlighted a $13.5 billion backlog, which offers significant longer-term revenue visibility, and announced a $500 million share-repurchase program that could support per-share results. First Solar Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar signed a non-exclusive U.S. patent licensing agreement with CubicPV covering perovskite technology, potentially strengthening its next-generation product development. Its South Carolina facility also advances domestic production capacity. First Solar and CubicPV Enter Patent Licensing Agreement
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains mixed. Wells Fargo, RBC and Needham reduced price targets but retained bullish ratings, while Guggenheim previously raised its target to $299. First Solar Analysts Cut Their Forecasts
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue fell 22.8% year over year to $1.23 billion, missing expectations of approximately $1.29 billion. Management also lowered its 2026 sales and shipment guidance, citing weaker demand and customers delaying purchase decisions. FSLR Q3 Earnings Call Highlights Pricing Shift and Outlook Cut
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts are reassessing near-term earnings potential: Bernstein downgraded First Solar to “underperform” with a $169 target, while GLJ Research downgraded it to “hold” with a $161 target. Sanford C. Bernstein First Solar Rating

About First Solar

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.