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First Solar, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results and Updates Guidance

  • Net sales of $1.6 billion; Record volume sold of 5.3 GW
  • Net income per diluted share of $4.24
  • Gross cash balance of $2.0 billion; Net cash balance of $1.5 billion
  • 2.7 GW gross bookings since our last earnings call with an average selling price of 30.9 cents per watt, excluding contract pricing adjusters
  • Contracted sales backlog of 53.7 GW, valued at $16.4 billion, as of September 30, 2025

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) (the “Company”) today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025, and updated its 2025 guidance.

Net sales for the third quarter were $1.6 billion, an increase of $0.5 billion from the prior quarter. The increase in net sales was primarily due to an increase in the volume of modules sold to third parties.

The Company reported third quarter net income per diluted share of $4.24, compared to net income per diluted share of $3.18 in the second quarter of 2025.

Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, restricted cash equivalents, and marketable securities, less debt at the end of the third quarter, increased to $1.5 billion from $0.6 billion at the end of the prior quarter. The increase was primarily due to higher cash receipts from module sales, including advance payments for future sales, and favorable changes in working capital.

“As a result of our disciplined approach to balancing growth, liquidity, and profitability, we’ve further strengthened our position through the commissioning of our fifth U.S. manufacturing facility, enhancing our liquidity position, and delivering record sales,” said Mark Widmar, Chief Executive Officer. “While trade and policy developments have introduced new challenges for many in our industry, we continue to differentiate ourselves by offering pricing and delivery certainty, enabling us to respond effectively to evolving demand drivers and reinforce our leadership.”

Our 2025 guidance has been updated as follows:

 

Prior

Current

Net Sales

$4.90B

to

$5.70B

$4.95B

to

$5.20B

Gross Margin (1)

$2.05B

to

$2.35B

$2.10B

to

$2.20B

Operating Expenses (2)

$480M

to

$520M

$515M

to

$535M

Operating Income (3)

$1.53B

to

$1.87B

$1.56B

to

$1.68B

Earnings per Diluted Share

$13.50

to

$16.50

$14.00

to

$15.00

Net Cash Balance (4)

$1.3B

to

$2.0B

$1.6B

to

$2.1B

Capital Expenditures

$1.0B

to

$1.5B

$0.9B

to

$1.2B

Volume Sold

16.7GW

to

19.3GW

16.7GW

to

17.4GW

——————————

(1)

 

Assumes $155 million to $165 million of ramp and underutilization costs and $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion of Section 45X tax credits.

(2)

 

Assumes $90 million of production start-up expense.

(3)

 

Assumes $245 million to $255 million of production start-up expense, ramp and underutilization costs, and $1.56 billion to $1.59 billion of Section 45X tax credits.

(4)

 

Defined as cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, restricted cash equivalents, and marketable securities, less expected debt at the end of 2025.

The guidance figures presented above are forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of assumptions and estimates. Investors are encouraged to listen to the conference call and to review the accompanying materials, which contain more information about First Solar’s third quarter 2025 financial results, 2025 guidance, and financial outlook.

Conference Call Details

First Solar has scheduled a conference call for today, October 30, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET, to discuss this announcement. A live webcast of this conference call and accompanying materials are available at investor.firstsolar.com. A replay of the webcast will also be available on the Investors section of the Company’s website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call and remain available for 30 days.

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) is America’s leading photovoltaic (“PV”) solar technology and manufacturing company. The only U.S.-headquartered company among the world’s largest solar manufacturers, First Solar is focused on competitively and reliably enabling power generation needs with our advanced, uniquely American thin film PV technology. Developed at research and development (“R&D”) labs in California and Ohio, our technology represents the next generation of solar power generation, providing a competitive, high-performance, and responsibly produced alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules. Our PV solar modules are produced using a fully integrated, continuous process that does not rely on Chinese crystalline silicon supply chains. For more information, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

For First Solar Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning: demand for solar technology generally and for our technology specifically, including in the U.S. market, and our positioning to serve such demand; new capacity coming online; our expectations regarding the political and trade environment and its impacts; production and delivery of our modules; our financial guidance for 2025, including future financial results, net sales, gross margin, operating expenses, operating income, earnings per diluted share, net cash balance, capital expenditures, expected earnings cadence, volume sold, bookings, and expected module shipments; products and our business and financial objectives for 2025; the availability of benefits under certain production linked incentive programs, and the impact of the Internal Revenue Code including the Section 45X tax credits; and the impact of the implementation of new tariffs. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as “estimate,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “believe,” “forecast,” “foresee,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “goal,” “target,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “predict,” “continue,” “contingent,” and the negative or plural of these words and other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and our projections about future events and therefore speak only as of the date of this release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: structural imbalances in global supply and demand for PV solar modules; our competitive position and other key competitive factors; the market for renewable energy, including solar energy; the modification, reduction, elimination, or expiration of government subsidies, economic incentives, tax incentives, renewable energy targets, and other support for on-grid solar electricity applications; the impact of public policies, such as tariffs, export controls, or other trade remedies imposed on solar cells and modules or related raw materials or equipment; interest rate fluctuations and our customers’ ability to secure financing; our ability to execute on our long-term strategic plans, including our ability to secure financing and realize the potential benefits of strategic acquisitions and investments; the loss of any of our large customers, or the inability of our customers and counterparties to perform under their contracts with us, including through terminations by customers of any contract in part or in full; our ability to execute on our solar module technology and cost reduction roadmaps; the performance of our solar modules upon installation; our ability to improve the wattage of our solar modules; our ability to incorporate technology improvements into our manufacturing process, including the implementation of our Copper Replacement (“CuRe”) program; our ability to attract new customers and to develop and maintain existing customer and supplier relationships; general economic and business conditions, including those influenced by U.S., international, and geopolitical events and conflicts; environmental responsibility, including with respect to cadmium telluride (“CdTe”) and other semiconductor materials; claims under our limited warranty obligations; changes in, or the failure to comply with, government regulations and environmental, health, and safety requirements; effects arising from and results of pending litigation; future collection and recycling costs for solar modules covered by our module collection and recycling program or otherwise as required by external laws and regulations; supply chain disruptions; our ability to protect or successfully commercialize our intellectual property; our ability to prevent and/or minimize the impact of cybersecurity incidents or information or security breaches; our continued investment in research and development; the supply and price of key raw materials (including CdTe, tellurium, and tellurium compounds), components, and manufacturing equipment; our ability to construct new production facilities to support new product lines; evolving corporate governance and public disclosure regulations and expectations, including with respect to environmental, social, and governance matters; our ability to avoid manufacturing interruptions, including during the ramp of our Series 7 module manufacturing facilities; our ability to attract, train, retain, and successfully integrate key talent into our team; the severity and duration of public health threats, and the potential impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations; and the matters discussed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

FIRST SOLAR, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share data)

(Unaudited)

 

 

September 30,

2025

 

December 31,

2024

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

1,992,173

 

 

$

1,621,376

 

Marketable securities

 

 

47,747

 

 

 

171,583

 

Accounts receivable trade, net

 

 

1,442,044

 

 

 

1,261,049

 

Government grants receivable, net

 

 

684,118

 

 

 

403,759

 

Inventories

 

 

1,100,850

 

 

 

1,084,384

 

Other current assets

 

 

634,836

 

 

 

546,882

 

Total current assets

 

 

5,901,768

 

 

 

5,089,033

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

 

5,759,806

 

 

 

5,413,683

 

Deferred tax assets, net

 

 

183,646

 

 

 

208,808

 

Restricted marketable securities

 

 

215,526

 

 

 

199,136

 

Government grants receivable

 

 

296,238

 

 

 

157,570

 

Goodwill

 

 

30,682

 

 

 

28,335

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

51,262

 

 

 

54,654

 

Inventories

 

 

254,541

 

 

 

275,372

 

Other assets

 

 

765,840

 

 

 

697,770

 

Total assets

 

$

13,459,309

 

 

$

12,124,361

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

 

$

284,542

 

 

$

482,190

 

Income taxes payable

 

 

78,773

 

 

 

77,363

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

587,679

 

 

 

508,581

 

Current portion of debt

 

 

272,396

 

 

 

236,424

 

Deferred revenue

 

 

1,554,707

 

 

 

712,000

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

311,757

 

 

 

60,884

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

3,089,854

 

 

 

2,077,442

 

Accrued solar module collection and recycling liability

 

 

145,073

 

 

 

134,394

 

Long-term debt

 

 

282,565

 

 

 

373,354

 

Deferred revenue

 

 

663,058

 

 

 

1,327,825

 

Other liabilities

 

 

263,447

 

 

 

233,769

 

Total liabilities

 

 

4,443,997

 

 

 

4,146,784

 

Commitments and contingencies

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.001 par value per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 107,307,994 and 107,060,281 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively

 

 

107

 

 

 

107

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

2,899,631

 

 

 

2,898,418

 

Accumulated earnings

 

 

6,270,456

 

 

 

5,263,110

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(154,882

)

 

 

(184,058

)

Total stockholders’ equity

 

 

9,015,312

 

 

 

7,977,577

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

13,459,309

 

 

$

12,124,361

 

FIRST SOLAR, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited) 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

September 30,

2025

 

June 30,

2025

 

September 30,

2024

 

September 30,

2025

 

September 30,

2024

Net sales

 

$

1,594,856

 

 

$

1,097,170

 

 

$

887,668

 

 

$

3,536,594

 

 

$

2,692,258

 

Cost of sales

 

 

984,111

 

 

 

597,320

 

 

 

442,357

 

 

 

2,081,596

 

 

 

1,402,055

 

Gross profit

 

 

610,745

 

 

 

499,850

 

 

 

445,311

 

 

 

1,454,998

 

 

 

1,290,203

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

47,324

 

 

 

52,590

 

 

 

46,293

 

 

 

153,078

 

 

 

138,680

 

Research and development

 

 

60,592

 

 

 

54,487

 

 

 

50,197

 

 

 

167,468

 

 

 

144,876

 

Production start-up

 

 

36,734

 

 

 

31,166

 

 

 

26,822

 

 

 

85,506

 

 

 

69,681

 

Litigation loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

430

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

144,650

 

 

 

138,243

 

 

 

123,312

 

 

 

406,052

 

 

 

353,667

 

Gain on sales of businesses, net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,115

 

Operating income

 

 

466,095

 

 

 

361,607

 

 

 

321,999

 

 

 

1,048,946

 

 

 

937,651

 

Foreign currency loss, net

 

 

(8,903

)

 

 

(9,728

)

 

 

(5,158

)

 

 

(30,224

)

 

 

(17,665

)

Interest income

 

 

23,308

 

 

 

12,100

 

 

 

22,580

 

 

 

54,273

 

 

 

74,424

 

Interest expense, net

 

 

(14,121

)

 

 

(9,184

)

 

 

(9,008

)

 

 

(32,830

)

 

 

(27,983

)

Other expense, net

 

 

(6,034

)

 

 

(2,628

)

 

 

(3,071

)

 

 

(10,594

)

 

 

(6,435

)

Income before taxes

 

 

460,345

 

 

 

352,167

 

 

 

327,342

 

 

 

1,029,571

 

 

 

959,992

 

Income tax expense

 

 

(4,402

)

 

 

(10,299

)

 

 

(14,386

)

 

 

(22,225

)

 

 

(61,064

)

Net income

 

$

455,943

 

 

$

341,868

 

 

$

312,956

 

 

$

1,007,346

 

 

$

898,928

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

$

4.25

 

 

$

3.19

 

 

$

2.92

 

 

$

9.40

 

 

$

8.40

 

Diluted

 

$

4.24

 

 

$

3.18

 

 

$

2.91

 

 

$

9.37

 

 

$

8.36

 

Weighted-average number of shares used in per share calculations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

107,264

 

 

 

107,245

 

 

 

107,049

 

 

 

107,211

 

 

 

107,015

 

Diluted

 

 

107,538

 

 

 

107,518

 

 

 

107,562

 

 

 

107,492

 

 

 

107,514

 

FIRST SOLAR, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

 

 

2025

 

2024

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$

1,007,346

 

 

$

898,928

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

Depreciation, amortization and accretion

 

 

388,585

 

 

 

299,079

 

Share-based compensation

 

 

16,713

 

 

 

21,987

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

26,477

 

 

 

(85,343

)

Gain on sales of businesses, net

 

 

 

 

 

(1,115

)

Other, net

 

 

28,218

 

 

 

3,238

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, trade

 

 

(196,967

)

 

 

(68,823

)

Inventories

 

 

(679

)

 

 

(434,375

)

Government grants receivable

 

 

(442,010

)

 

 

(59,181

)

Other assets

 

 

(150,159

)

 

 

(183,127

)

Income tax receivable and payable

 

 

(44,684

)

 

 

35,708

 

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

 

 

(164,194

)

 

 

(8,953

)

Deferred revenue

 

 

262,877

 

 

 

(13,159

)

Other liabilities

 

 

83,689

 

 

 

2,139

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

815,212

 

 

 

407,003

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

 

 

(698,148

)

 

 

(1,212,537

)

Purchases of marketable securities and restricted marketable securities

 

 

(1,307,656

)

 

 

(2,014,764

)

Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities

 

 

1,424,918

 

 

 

1,897,997

 

Other investing activities

 

 

2,952

 

 

 

(12,617

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(577,934

)

 

 

(1,341,921

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from borrowings under debt arrangements, net of issuance costs

 

 

309,047

 

 

 

227,654

 

Repayment of debt

 

 

(357,515

)

 

 

(205,821

)

Proceeds from other borrowings

 

 

487,323

 

 

 

 

Repayment of other borrowings

 

 

(298,407

)

 

 

 

Payments of tax withholdings for restricted shares

 

 

(15,479

)

 

 

(20,144

)

Contingent consideration payment and other financing activities

 

 

(527

)

 

 

(7,568

)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

 

 

124,442

 

 

 

(5,879

)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents

 

 

2,021

 

 

 

(2,805

)

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents

 

 

363,741

 

 

 

(943,602

)

Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents, beginning of the period

 

 

1,638,223

 

 

 

1,965,069

 

Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents, end of the period

 

$

2,001,964

 

 

$

1,021,467

 

Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment acquisitions funded by liabilities

 

$

222,115

 

 

$

264,480

 

Proceeds to be received from asset-based government grants

 

$

149,775

 

 

$

159,490

 

Acquisitions funded by contingent consideration

 

$

3,600

 

 

$

11,000

 

 

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