ams-OSRAM (OTCMKTS:AMSSY) versus First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Head to Head Review

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) and ams-OSRAM (OTCMKTS:AMSSY) are both technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, valuation, profitability and institutional ownership.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

92.1% of First Solar shares are held by institutional investors. 0.4% of First Solar shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for First Solar and ams-OSRAM, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
First Solar	2	11	23	1	2.62
ams-OSRAM	0	2	1	0	2.33

First Solar presently has a consensus price target of $266.53, indicating a potential upside of 49.98%. Given First Solar’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe First Solar is more favorable than ams-OSRAM.

Profitability

This table compares First Solar and ams-OSRAM’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
First Solar	32.47%	18.02%	13.05%
ams-OSRAM	-9.74%	-7.58%	-1.01%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares First Solar and ams-OSRAM”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
First Solar	$5.22 billion	3.66	$1.53 billion	$16.22	10.96
ams-OSRAM	$3.76 billion	0.66	-$147.08 million	($1.91)	-6.48

First Solar has higher revenue and earnings than ams-OSRAM. ams-OSRAM is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than First Solar, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility and Risk

First Solar has a beta of 1.74, indicating that its share price is 74% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, ams-OSRAM has a beta of 1.75, indicating that its share price is 75% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

First Solar beats ams-OSRAM on 14 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First Solar

First Solar, Inc., a solar technology company, provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions in the United States, France, Japan, Chile, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells PV solar modules with a thin film semiconductor technology that provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules. It designs, manufactures, and sells cadmium telluride solar modules that converts sunlight into electricity. The company's residual business operations include project development activities, operations and maintenance services, and the sale of PV solar power systems to third-party customers. It serves developers and operators of systems, utilities, independent power producers, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

About ams-OSRAM

ams-OSRAM AG designs, manufactures, and sells LED and optical sensor solutions in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia/Pacific. The company operates in Semiconductors and Lamps & Systems segments. The Semiconductors segment offers semiconductor-based products and solutions, such as high-performance LEDs, lasers, and optical sensors for automotive, consumer, and industrial and medical technology end markets. The Lamps & Systems segment provides lamps and lighting systems for the automotive, industrial, and medical end markets. The company was formerly known as ams AG and changed its name to ams-OSRAM AG in January 2022. ams-OSRAM AG is headquartered in Premstätten, Austria.