- First Solar’s (FSLR) stock jumped 11% to $163.62 after Q4 revenue of $1.51 billion beat the $1.48 billion consensus, up 30.7% year-over-year, despite FY25 EPS guidance of $17.00-$20.00 falling below the $20.25 estimate.
- The company’s $5.3 billion to $5.8 billion revenue outlook for 2025 aligns with the $5.51 billion consensus, lifting shares from a March 2024 low as investors cheered topline strength over a cautious profit forecast.
- Strong Q4/24 earnings of $3.65 per share from $3.25 Q4/23 and a rebound to an intraday high of $167.96 reflect trend positivity, though cost pressures and competition temper its EPS guidance amid robust utility-scale demand.
First Solar’s (FSLR) stock surged $16, or 11%, to $163.62 in Wednesday trading, peaking at an intraday high of $167.96, a robust rebound from its lowest point since March 2024, sparked by Q4 financials that topped revenue forecasts despite a tempered EPS outlook for 2025. The solar panel maker reported Q4 GAAP earnings of $3.65 per share, with revenues climbing 30.7% year-over-year to $1.51 billion, edging past the $1.48 billion consensus, though its full-year 2025 guidance – EPS of $17.00 to $20.00 against a $20.25 consensus and revenue of $5.3 billion to $5.8 billion versus $5.51 billion – landed below Wall Street’s profit hopes while aligning on sales. The 11% rally reflects investor enthusiasm for the revenue beat, overshadowing the cautious EPS projection, as First Solar flexes its muscle in a renewable energy market supported by global decarbonization tailwinds.
The company’s Q4 performance underscores its operational grit, churning out $1.51 billion in sales amid a solar boom driven by U.S. tax credits and Europe’s green push, though the softer 2025 EPS guidance hints at margin pressures from rising production costs or supply chain kinks—challenges that have dogged the thin-film solar leader against cheaper silicon rivals. First Solar’s cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology, prized for efficiency in utility-scale projects, keeps it a key player in solar farms, and the in-line revenue outlook sustains confidence, even as the stock’s leap suggests the market’s banking on execution over EPS conservatism. The climb from a March low ties to broader sector momentum, with solar stocks rebounding as interest rates ease and clean energy demand holds firm, despite China’s dominance in panel supply.
First Solar’s 30.7% revenue jump signals a firm grip on its niche, yet the $17.00 – $20.00 EPS guide below the $20.25 mark – tempers expectations, possibly reflecting CapEx ramps for new U.S. factories or pricing headwinds in a competitive field where polysilicon players keep costs low. The stock’s 11% vault to $163.62, from a base battered since spring, mirrors investor focus on topline strength and a $5.3 billion to $5.8 billion revenue corridor that hugs consensus, banking on steady demand from utilities and corporates chasing net-zero goals. With a market cap nudging $16 billion, First Solar’s Wednesday surge positions it as a solar standout, navigating a tricky landscape where growth and profitability dance a delicate balance.
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