First Solar stock falls after dropping its ITC case

Published on 09/18/2026 at 13:33 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

First Solar stock closed at USD 191.07 on September 16, 2026, after the company withdrew a patent case. Q2 2026 revenue was USD 1.06 billion and EPS was USD 3.92.

Fotorealistischer Solarpark von First Solar Inc. bei Sonnenaufgang in der Wüste, ISIN US3364331070 — First Solar Inc. betreibt riesige Solarparkanlage in der Wüste, ISIN US3364331070 steht für Erneuerbare Energien, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

First Solar Inc. (US3364331070) stock closed at USD 191.07 on Nasdaq on September 16, 2026, after the company withdrew a patent case at the U.S. International Trade Commission. The move leaves the shares 5.6 percent lower on the day and puts the latest close well below the recent consensus target.

Patent strategy drives the trade

As ad-hoc-news reported on September 18, 2026, Second-quarter 2026 net revenue slipped 4 percent year over year to USD 1.06 billion, while diluted earnings per share rose 23 percent to USD 3.92. The same report said gross margin reached 57 percent and adjusted EBITDA came in at USD 644 million.

The company's strategic change matters because the share reaction has been tied to patent enforcement rather than the operating print. First Solar also guided third-quarter 2026 sales volume to 3.9 GW to 4.5 GW and adjusted EBITDA to USD 625 million to USD 775 million, giving investors a fresh benchmark for the next update.

Analysts still see upside

According to ad-hoc-news on September 17, 2026, MarketBeat put First Solar at a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with an average price target of USD 266.06. The same summary said Bernstein cut its target to USD 197 and moved to Underperform, which is only about 3 percent above the September 16 close.

That makes the gap between the stock and the Street wide enough to matter, but not wide enough to ignore the risk. Zacks, as quoted in the same ad-hoc-news report on September 16, 2026, expects third-quarter 2026 earnings per share of USD 4.59, which would be an 8.25 percent increase from the same quarter a year earlier.

Price stays in view

First Solar stock ended September 16, 2026 at USD 191.07 on Nasdaq, with a prior close of USD 191.07, a 52-week range of USD 182.99 to USD 320.95 and market capitalization of USD 20.53 billion. The stock is now 36 percent below its 52-week high, so chart readers are watching the next earnings date around October 29, 2026.