First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Insider Georges Antoun Sells 229 Shares

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) insider Georges Antoun sold 229 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.75, for a total transaction of $30,628.75. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 52,836 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,066,815. This trade represents a 0.43 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

First Solar Stock Down 4.3 %

FSLR stock opened at $127.34 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.14, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. First Solar, Inc. has a twelve month low of $124.96 and a twelve month high of $306.77. The company’s 50 day moving average is $159.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $189.73. The stock has a market cap of $13.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.97, a PEG ratio of 0.19 and a beta of 1.52.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 25th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.65 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.81 by ($1.16). The company had revenue of $1.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.48 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 17.56% and a net margin of 32.41%. Research analysts expect that First Solar, Inc. will post 13.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FSLR has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $297.00 to $238.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. Redburn Atlantic initiated coverage on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of First Solar from $282.00 to $268.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of First Solar from $360.00 to $285.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn raised shares of First Solar from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.08.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC acquired a new position in shares of First Solar in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of First Solar by 214.0% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 157 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its stake in First Solar by 31.7% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 63 shares during the period. Crews Bank & Trust acquired a new position in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, Hudson Edge Investment Partners Inc. acquired a new position in First Solar in the 4th quarter valued at $53,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

First Solar Company Profile

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.