Empowered Funds LLC Buys New Stake in First Solar, Inc. $FSLR

Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 70,810 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $16,708,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in FSLR. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar during the second quarter worth about $3,310,298,000. Hill City Capital LP acquired a new position in First Solar in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $620,133,555. Norges Bank purchased a new position in First Solar during the 4th quarter worth approximately $392,040,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new stake in First Solar during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $212,626,000. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP lifted its stake in First Solar by 60.6% during 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 acquiring an additional 854,919 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.08% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently issued reports on FSLR. Oppenheimer restated a “market perform” rating on shares of First Solar in a research report on Friday, July 31st. UBS Group increased their price target on First Solar from $290.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered First Solar from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on First Solar from $245.00 to $323.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 18th. Finally, Argus reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $275.00 target price on shares of First Solar in a report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $266.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 829 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.00, for a total value of $205,592.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer directly owned 6,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,647,216. This represents a 11.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Samantha L. Sloan sold 127 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $222.95, for a total value of $28,314.65. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,018 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $449,913.10. The trade was 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. Insiders sold 15,081 shares of company stock valued at $3,457,086 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.39% of the company’s stock.

First Solar Stock Down 2.7%

FSLR stock opened at $204.46 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a 52 week low of $182.99 and a 52 week high of $320.95. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $223.42 and a 200-day simple moving average of $223.38. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.61, a P/E/G ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.75.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The business had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.18 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.77 earnings per share for the current year.

First Solar News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: BMO upgraded First Solar to Outperform and raised its price target to $263 from $237, implying substantial upside from the reference price. BMO reportedly believes the market reaction to the latest Section 232 tariff developments was overdone. BMO upgrades First Solar as tariff selloff looks overdone
• Positive Sentiment: Argus reiterated a Buy rating on First Solar, reinforcing the view that the company’s valuation and long-term growth prospects remain attractive despite recent volatility. Argus reiterates Buy rating for First Solar
• Positive Sentiment: A climate-finance expert said Wall Street may have misinterpreted the market’s response to the latest solar-tariff announcement, potentially easing concerns that trade policy will materially damage First Solar’s outlook. Wall Street misread the solar tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: An emergency order restricting certain foreign bulk-power-system equipment and software could benefit U.S. solar and energy-equipment manufacturers by supporting domestic suppliers, although the direct impact on First Solar is uncertain. Why solar stocks were rising overnight
• Neutral Sentiment: First Solar’s latest quarterly results exceeded earnings expectations, but revenue declined year over year, leaving investors focused on policy developments and future demand rather than the reported quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer advised investors to stay away from First Solar, while Evercore ISI maintained an In-Line rating and trimmed its price target to $218, highlighting continued analyst disagreement and near-term uncertainty. Jim Cramer comments on First Solar

First Solar 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.