Insider Trading March 10, 2026

First Solar CTO Disposes $252,227 in FSLR Shares as Company Faces Analyst Pushback

Markus Gloeckler sold 1,325 shares; company guidance and Q4 results prompt multiple downgrades and lower price targets

By Leila Farooq FSLR
First Solar CTO Disposes $252,227 in FSLR Shares as Company Faces Analyst Pushback
FSLR

First Solar Chief Technology Officer Markus Gloeckler sold 1,325 shares of common stock on March 9, 2026, for $252,227. The transaction occurs amid a stock price that is down year-to-date and following a fourth-quarter earnings miss and below-street 2026 revenue guidance that has led several firms to lower ratings and targets.

Key Points

  • First Solar CTO Markus Gloeckler sold 1,325 shares on March 9, 2026, for $252,227 at $190.36 per share.
  • Gloeckler exercised options for 3,066 shares at $0 and vesting covered RSUs granted in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025; 3,066 RSUs were also granted on March 6, 2026.
  • Following a Q4 earnings miss (6%) and 2026 revenue guidance of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion (17% below Street), multiple firms lowered ratings and price targets, signalling analyst caution - impacting the solar and broader renewable energy investment landscape.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) recorded an insider sale on March 9, 2026, when Chief Technology Officer Markus Gloeckler disposed of 1,325 shares of common stock at $190.36 per share, a transaction valued at $252,227.

The sale comes while the shares trade at $197.80 and are down 24% year-to-date. The company trades with a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.1. In addition, InvestingPro analysis included in the available data indicates that First Solar appears undervalued on the basis of a Fair Value assessment, with the market price below that calculated worth.


Options exercised and restricted stock vesting

On March 6, 2026, Gloeckler also exercised options to acquire 3,066 shares of First Solar common stock at a $0 exercise price. Those transactions were connected with the vesting of restricted stock units (RSUs) originally granted on multiple dates between 2021 and 2025.

Details of the RSU-related vesting and grants reported include:

  • 760 shares resulting from units granted on March 6, 2021
  • 471 shares from units granted on March 6, 2023
  • 852 shares tied to March 6, 2024 grants
  • 1,067 shares from March 6, 2025 grants
  • An additional 3,066 restricted stock units were granted on March 6, 2026

Analyst reactions after earnings and guidance

First Solar’s latest quarterly report and forward guidance have prompted a wave of analyst reassessments. The company’s fourth-quarter earnings missed expectations by 6%, and First Solar issued revenue guidance for fiscal 2026 in a range of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion - a midpoint that is 17% below Street expectations as reported.

Following the results and guidance, several sell-side firms adjusted their views and price targets:

  • Deutsche Bank lowered its rating to Hold from Buy and cut its price target to $245, citing the weaker outlook.
  • HSBC moved to a Hold rating and set a price target of $211, citing disappointing fiscal 2026 guidance.
  • GLJ Research downgraded the stock to Hold, pointing to meaningful misses in the company’s 2026 guidance across metrics including revenue and EBITDA.
  • Barclays kept an Overweight rating but reduced its price target to $228, highlighting valuation concerns.
  • Jefferies trimmed its price target to $205 and maintained a Hold rating, noting limited visibility on timing for any recovery.

These moves reflect a cautious tone among analysts toward First Solar’s near-term prospects in light of the guidance and quarterly performance.


Context and market signals

The insider sale by a senior technology executive, combined with exercised options tied to RSU vesting and a fresh slate of analyst downgrades and lower price targets, creates a sequence of disclosures investors can weigh alongside First Solar’s valuation indicators. The InvestingPro Fair Value assessment included in the available material suggests the shares may be trading below intrinsic value, even as the company navigates a period of lowered expectations from the sell side.

Risks

  • Company guidance for 2026 fell short of Street expectations, introducing revenue and earnings uncertainty that affects investor and analyst outlooks for the solar sector.
  • Analyst downgrades and reduced price targets from several brokerages create potential downward pressure on the stock and investor sentiment, impacting market valuation of renewable energy equities.
  • Limited visibility on timing for a recovery, as noted by Jefferies, increases uncertainty around near-term performance and capital markets access for First Solar.

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