First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.38 EPS

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The solar cell manufacturer reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.22 by ($0.38), FiscalAI reports. First Solar had a net margin of 27.73% and a return on equity of 16.61%. The business had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.59 billion.

First Solar Trading Up 0.4%

FSLR stock traded up $1.06 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $243.21. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,801,525 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,445,064. First Solar has a 1 year low of $116.56 and a 1 year high of $285.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.68, a PEG ratio of 0.31 and a beta of 1.60. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $245.75 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $235.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a current ratio of 1.91.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FSLR. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in First Solar in the 3rd quarter valued at about $142,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter worth approximately $131,000. Federated Hermes Inc. bought a new stake in shares of First Solar during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $120,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of First Solar by 45.6% in the second quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 677 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $112,000 after purchasing an additional 212 shares during the period. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in First Solar in the third quarter worth approximately $101,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting First Solar

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 upside vs. current levels and reinforcing buy‑side sentiment. Needham adjusts price target
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar published an economic‑impact study showing it could support ~40,000 U.S. jobs and add $7.8B to U.S. GDP by 2027—positive PR that supports expectations for strong U.S. demand and political support for domestic manufacturing. First Solar economic impact study
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s PV recycling program and circular‑economy capabilities are highlighted as a competitive edge as installations age—this supports margin and aftermarket service narratives over the medium term. PV recycling leadership story
• Positive Sentiment: Broader market demand tailwinds: reporting shows ~93% of new U.S. power capacity in 2026 is expected from solar, wind and batteries, which supports First Solar’s long‑term growth opportunity. Renewables share of new U.S. capacity
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts have been revising forecasts ahead of the Q4 call—this concentrates expectations and could amplify moves depending on the print; revisions don’t uniformly signal direction. Analyst forecast revisions
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/price action context: after a strong 1‑year return, short‑term momentum has cooled and the stock is roughly flat over the past month—this suggests the rally may be pausing into the earnings event. Valuation and performance note
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings risk: multiple previews note Q4 results and guidance are the primary near‑term catalyst—any revenue, margin or backlog disappointment, or cautious 2026 commentary, could trigger a pullback and higher intraday volatility. Earnings preview and risk

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on FSLR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of First Solar from $278.00 to $303.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Roth Mkm set a $300.00 price objective on First Solar in a research report on Friday, October 31st. UBS Group raised their price objective on First Solar from $275.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on First Solar from $244.00 to $258.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners increased their price target on First Solar from $217.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, First Solar has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $276.24.

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.