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First Solar Slides as Jefferies Cuts Rating, Citing Weaker 2026 Outlook

Jefferies flagged thinning 2026 booking visibility, citing mounting margin pressure alongside reduced policy support.

Overview

  • First Solar fell roughly 10% on Jan. 7 after Jefferies downgraded the stock to Hold and cut its price target to $260.
  • Jefferies pointed to limited visibility into 2026 bookings, noting recent customer cancellations and a book-to-bill near 0.5x.
  • Reported gross margins dropped to about 11% in 2025 from roughly 20% a year earlier, with economics heavily reliant on tax credits.
  • Trading showed signs of institutional de-risking with a gap-down open on heavy volume and a bearish options skew, following a ~90% rally since March 2025.
  • Analyst views remain split, as Deutsche Bank raised its target to $300 with a Buy rating while the consensus sits at Moderate Buy with a mean target near $272.