First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) fell short of Wall Street earnings expectations for the fourth quarter, but its revenue came in stronger than anticipated, offering investors a mixed but cautiously optimistic outlook. Despite the earnings miss, shares surged around 10% intra-day today.
For the quarter, the solar panel manufacturer reported earnings per share of $3.65, well below the $4.83 analyst consensus. However, revenue reached $1.5 billion, slightly topping the projected $1.49 billion, signaling resilient demand despite industry headwinds.
Looking ahead to 2025, First Solar provided a wide earnings forecast of $17.00 to $20.00 per share, compared to the $20.17 consensus estimate. The company also expects full-year revenue between $5.3 billion and $5.8 billion, compared to the $5.52 billion analyst forecast.
The company cited policy uncertainty and challenges in reallocating or replacing canceled deliveries as factors behind the broad earnings range for the year, adding that performance is expected to be more heavily weighted toward the second half of 2025.
While the Q4 earnings miss raised some concerns, strong revenue and an overall stable outlook have helped keep investor sentiment steady, reinforcing First Solar’s positioning in a volatile but growing renewable energy market.