3,252 Shares in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Acquired by Blueshift Asset Management LLC

Blueshift Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 3,252 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $573,000.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in First Solar by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC now owns 9,210 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $1,623,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Doliver Advisors LP lifted its holdings in First Solar by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Doliver Advisors LP now owns 4,713 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $831,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings 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 worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance lifted its holdings in First Solar by 3.1% in the 4th quarter. Independent Advisor Alliance now owns 2,090 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $368,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mutual Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in First Solar by 5.3% in the 4th quarter. Mutual Advisors LLC now owns 1,463 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock worth $279,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. 92.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar Price Performance

Shares of FSLR stock opened at $128.46 on Friday. First Solar, Inc. has a twelve month low of $124.96 and a twelve month high of $306.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.06, a P/E/G ratio of 0.19 and a beta of 1.52. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $157.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $188.89. 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 (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 25th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.65 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.81 by ($1.16). First Solar had a return on equity of 17.56% and a net margin of 32.41%. The firm had revenue of $1.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.48 billion. On average, analysts predict that First Solar, Inc. will post 13.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

FSLR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Redburn Atlantic assumed coverage on First Solar in a report on Monday, March 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. StockNews.com raised First Solar from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Bank of America reduced their price objective on First Solar from $246.00 to $236.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on First Solar from $282.00 to $268.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on First Solar from $240.00 to $209.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $262.08.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Georges Antoun sold 229 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.75, for a total transaction of $30,628.75. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 52,836 shares in the company, valued at $7,066,815. This represents a 0.43 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Mark R. Widmar sold 21,542 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.09, for a total value of $3,039,360.78. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 103,403 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,589,129.27. This trade represents a 17.24 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 34,311 shares of company stock worth $4,767,158. 0.58% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

First Solar 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.