Mark R. Widmar Sells 1,272 Shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 1,272 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.96, for a total value of $169,125.12. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 109,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,492,640. This trade represents a 1.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

First Solar Stock Down 4.3 %

Shares of FSLR stock opened at $133.11 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $166.18 and its 200-day moving average is $193.80. The stock has a market cap of $14.25 billion, a PE ratio of 11.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.19 and a beta of 1.52. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $124.96 and a 1 year high of $306.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 2.14.

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have weighed in on FSLR. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of First Solar from $246.00 to $236.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of First Solar from $307.00 to $267.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. StockNews.com raised shares of First Solar from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $265.00 target price on First Solar in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic started coverage on First Solar in a report on Monday, March 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $262.08.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of First Solar in the third quarter valued at $25,000. Kennebec Savings Bank acquired a new stake in First Solar during the third quarter valued at $29,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its stake 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 buying an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in First Solar by 31.7% in the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $47,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Crews Bank & Trust bought a new stake in First Solar in the fourth quarter worth $53,000. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.