First Solar Misses Q4 Earnings Expectations, Lowers 2026 Revenue Guidance
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy FSLR?
Source: seekingalpha
- Earnings Miss: First Solar reported Q4 GAAP earnings of $520.9 million, or $4.84 per share, which, despite a year-over-year increase, fell short of expectations, resulting in a 12.7% drop in after-hours trading.
- Revenue Guidance Shortfall: The company projected 2026 revenues between $4.9 billion and $5.2 billion, significantly below the $6.16 billion consensus estimate, reflecting challenges such as permitting delays impacting customer demand.
- Strategic Underutilization: CEO Mark Widmar indicated that the strategic underutilization of Southeast Asian factories contributed to the lowered guidance, highlighting a cautious approach while awaiting the resolution of tariff policies.
- Patent Litigation and Collaboration: First Solar has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 10 foreign manufacturers for alleged TOPCon patent infringement, while also entering a licensing agreement with Oxford Photovoltaics to enhance the development of perovskite semiconductor solar devices.
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Analyst Views on FSLR
Wall Street analysts forecast FSLR stock price to rise
23 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 242.150
Low
150.00
Averages
280.35
High
335.00
Current: 242.150
Low
150.00
Averages
280.35
High
335.00
About FSLR
First Solar, Inc. is a photovoltaic (PV) solar technology and manufacturing company. It is focused on enabling power generation needs with its advanced, thin film PV technology. The Company's primary segment is its modules business, which involves the design, manufacture, and sale of CdTe solar modules, which convert sunlight into electricity. Third-party customers of the segment include system developers, independent power producers, utilities, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners and operators. The Company's products include the Series 7 Module and Series 6 Plus module. Its Series 6 Plus module is a glass laminate approximately 4ft x 6ft in size that encapsulates thin film PV semiconductor materials. Its Series 7 module has a larger form factor of approximately 4ft x 7ft in size. The Series 6 Plus and Series 7 modules had an average power output of 459 watts and 531 watts, respectively.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
First Solar to Host Q4 2025 Earnings Call on February 24, 2026
- Earnings Call Announcement: First Solar will host a conference call on February 24, 2026, at 4:30 PM ET to discuss its Q4 2025 earnings results, aiming to provide investors with the latest performance insights and future outlook.
- Webcast Access: Investors can participate in the live webcast by visiting https://investor.firstsolar.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx, ensuring transparency and timely information dissemination.
- Investor Relations Focus: This meeting underscores First Solar's commitment to investor relations, enhancing interaction with investors through regular earnings communications to boost market confidence.
- Future Performance Insights: While specific financial data has not yet been disclosed, this call will offer investors insights into the company's future performance, aiding the market in assessing First Solar's growth potential.
See More
First Solar Misses Q4 Earnings Expectations, Lowers 2026 Revenue Guidance
- Earnings Miss: First Solar reported Q4 GAAP earnings of $520.9 million, or $4.84 per share, which, despite a year-over-year increase, fell short of expectations, resulting in a 12.7% drop in after-hours trading.
- Revenue Guidance Shortfall: The company projected 2026 revenues between $4.9 billion and $5.2 billion, significantly below the $6.16 billion consensus estimate, reflecting challenges such as permitting delays impacting customer demand.
- Strategic Underutilization: CEO Mark Widmar indicated that the strategic underutilization of Southeast Asian factories contributed to the lowered guidance, highlighting a cautious approach while awaiting the resolution of tariff policies.
- Patent Litigation and Collaboration: First Solar has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 10 foreign manufacturers for alleged TOPCon patent infringement, while also entering a licensing agreement with Oxford Photovoltaics to enhance the development of perovskite semiconductor solar devices.
See More
First Solar Reports Record Sales and Strategic Expansion in Q4 2025 Earnings Call
- Record Sales Achievement: First Solar achieved module sales of 17.5 gigawatts in 2025, with net sales reaching $5.2 billion, reflecting a 24% year-over-year increase, demonstrating the company's ability to capitalize on differentiated product demand, thereby enhancing the forward earnings outlook.
- Manufacturing Expansion Plans: The company initiated commercial production at its fifth U.S. factory in Louisiana and announced a new finishing facility in South Carolina, targeting operational readiness by Q4 2026, further solidifying its manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. market.
- Significant Technological Progress: CuRe technology has shown expected energy advantages based on lab and field testing results, with a phased rollout expected to begin next month at the Ohio factory, alongside the launch of a perovskite module development line aimed for operational readiness in early 2027.
- Optimistic Financial Outlook: The company guided net sales for 2026 between $4.9 billion and $5.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA guidance of $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion, indicating strong financial flexibility despite ongoing tariff and supply chain challenges.
See More
First Solar (FSLR) Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
See More
Lucid Group Reports Wider Loss, Shares Drop Over 4%
- Lucid Group Earnings Miss: Lucid reported a wider-than-expected loss of $3.62 per share in Q4, despite revenue growth exceeding estimates, leading to a more than 4% drop in shares, highlighting ongoing profitability challenges for the company.
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- Cava Group Strong Performance: Cava reported Q4 earnings of 4 cents per share on revenue of $275 million, surpassing analyst expectations, which led to an 8% increase in shares, and the company anticipates a 3% to 5% rise in same-store sales in 2026, indicating enhanced market competitiveness.
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See More
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- Profit Decline: FirstSolar's fourth-quarter net income per diluted share was $4.84, significantly below analysts' expectations of $5.24, resulting in a more than 12% drop in the company's stock price during after-hours trading.
- Sales Growth: Despite the profit miss, the company reported fourth-quarter net sales of $1.7 billion, a 12.6% increase year-over-year, primarily driven by higher module sales volume, indicating resilience in market demand.
- Market Reaction: The profit shortfall has raised investor concerns about FirstSolar's future performance, with the sharp decline in stock price reflecting a reassessment of the company's profitability by the market.
- Industry Impact: FirstSolar's performance may influence investor confidence across the solar industry, particularly against the backdrop of increasing market focus on renewable energy solutions.
See More
First Solar to Host Q4 2025 Earnings Call on February 24, 2026
- Earnings Call Announcement: First Solar will host a conference call on February 24, 2026, at 4:30 PM ET to discuss its Q4 2025 earnings results, aiming to provide investors with the latest performance insights and future outlook.
- Webcast Access: Investors can participate in the live webcast by visiting https://investor.firstsolar.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx, ensuring transparency and timely information dissemination.
- Investor Relations Focus: This meeting underscores First Solar's commitment to investor relations, enhancing interaction with investors through regular earnings communications to boost market confidence.
- Future Performance Insights: While specific financial data has not yet been disclosed, this call will offer investors insights into the company's future performance, aiding the market in assessing First Solar's growth potential.
See More
First Solar Misses Q4 Earnings Expectations, Lowers 2026 Revenue Guidance
- Earnings Miss: First Solar reported Q4 GAAP earnings of $520.9 million, or $4.84 per share, which, despite a year-over-year increase, fell short of expectations, resulting in a 12.7% drop in after-hours trading.
- Revenue Guidance Shortfall: The company projected 2026 revenues between $4.9 billion and $5.2 billion, significantly below the $6.16 billion consensus estimate, reflecting challenges such as permitting delays impacting customer demand.
- Strategic Underutilization: CEO Mark Widmar indicated that the strategic underutilization of Southeast Asian factories contributed to the lowered guidance, highlighting a cautious approach while awaiting the resolution of tariff policies.
- Patent Litigation and Collaboration: First Solar has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against 10 foreign manufacturers for alleged TOPCon patent infringement, while also entering a licensing agreement with Oxford Photovoltaics to enhance the development of perovskite semiconductor solar devices.
See More
First Solar Reports Record Sales and Strategic Expansion in Q4 2025 Earnings Call
- Record Sales Achievement: First Solar achieved module sales of 17.5 gigawatts in 2025, with net sales reaching $5.2 billion, reflecting a 24% year-over-year increase, demonstrating the company's ability to capitalize on differentiated product demand, thereby enhancing the forward earnings outlook.
- Manufacturing Expansion Plans: The company initiated commercial production at its fifth U.S. factory in Louisiana and announced a new finishing facility in South Carolina, targeting operational readiness by Q4 2026, further solidifying its manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. market.
- Significant Technological Progress: CuRe technology has shown expected energy advantages based on lab and field testing results, with a phased rollout expected to begin next month at the Ohio factory, alongside the launch of a perovskite module development line aimed for operational readiness in early 2027.
- Optimistic Financial Outlook: The company guided net sales for 2026 between $4.9 billion and $5.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA guidance of $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion, indicating strong financial flexibility despite ongoing tariff and supply chain challenges.
See More
First Solar (FSLR) Q4 2025 Earnings Transcript
See More
Lucid Group Reports Wider Loss, Shares Drop Over 4%
- Lucid Group Earnings Miss: Lucid reported a wider-than-expected loss of $3.62 per share in Q4, despite revenue growth exceeding estimates, leading to a more than 4% drop in shares, highlighting ongoing profitability challenges for the company.
- Workday Revenue Outlook Disappoints: Workday's forecast for Q1 subscription revenue at $2.34 billion fell short of the $2.35 billion expected by analysts, resulting in nearly a 10% decline in shares, reflecting market concerns about its future growth prospects.
- Cava Group Strong Performance: Cava reported Q4 earnings of 4 cents per share on revenue of $275 million, surpassing analyst expectations, which led to an 8% increase in shares, and the company anticipates a 3% to 5% rise in same-store sales in 2026, indicating enhanced market competitiveness.
- First Solar Guidance Misses Expectations: First Solar's Q4 earnings of $4.84 per share fell short of the $5.15 expected, although revenue of $1.68 billion exceeded forecasts; however, its full-year guidance of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion significantly underperformed the $6.12 billion expected, causing an 11% drop in shares.
See More
FirstSolar Reports Q4 Profit Below Expectations, Shares Drop
- Profit Decline: FirstSolar's fourth-quarter net income per diluted share was $4.84, significantly below analysts' expectations of $5.24, resulting in a more than 12% drop in the company's stock price during after-hours trading.
- Sales Growth: Despite the profit miss, the company reported fourth-quarter net sales of $1.7 billion, a 12.6% increase year-over-year, primarily driven by higher module sales volume, indicating resilience in market demand.
- Market Reaction: The profit shortfall has raised investor concerns about FirstSolar's future performance, with the sharp decline in stock price reflecting a reassessment of the company's profitability by the market.
- Industry Impact: FirstSolar's performance may influence investor confidence across the solar industry, particularly against the backdrop of increasing market focus on renewable energy solutions.
See More
