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Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) is a leading global provider of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions. The company, valued at a market cap of $14.5 billion, specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling solar modules utilizing proprietary thin-film cadmium telluride semiconductor technology, offering a lower-carbon alternative to traditional crystalline silicon PV modules. FSLR is slated to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings results on Tuesday, Apr. 29.
Ahead of this event, analysts expect the solar company to report a profit of $2.47 per share, a 12.3% growth from $2.20 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has exceeded Wall Street's earnings expectations in two of the past four quarters while missing on the other two occasions.
For fiscal 2025, analysts expect FSLR to report EPS of $18.33, marking a growth of 52.5% from $12.02 in fiscal 2024. In addition, EPS is expected to grow 42.2% year-over-year to $26.06 in fiscal 2026.
Shares of First Solar have fallen 27.2% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind the broader S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 6% gain and the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLK) marginal return over the same period.
First Solar’s stock dropped 3.6% following the release of its Q4 results on Feb. 25. The company reported $1.5 billion in net sales, reflecting a solid 30.7% year-over-year increase. However, its EPS of $3.65 came in 21.3% below analyst estimates.
Looking ahead, First Solar projects net sales to be between $5.3 billion and $5.8 billion and EPS in the range of $17 to $20 this year. The company anticipates selling between 18 GW and 20 GW of modules during the year. Capital expenditures are expected to be between $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion, primarily for capacity expansion and R&D initiatives.
Analysts' consensus view on FSLR stock remains very bullish, with a "Strong Buy" rating overall. Out of 34 analysts covering the stock, 27 recommend a "Strong Buy," two "Moderate Buys," and five give a "Hold" rating.
The average analyst price target for FSLR is $238.22, suggesting a solid potential upside of 81.7% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
