First Solar (XSWX:FSLR) Forward PE Ratio Explanation
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
First Solar Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
First Solar Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for First Solar's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
First Solar Forward PE Ratio Chart
First Solar Annual Data
Trend
2015-12
2016-12
2017-12
2018-12
2019-12
2020-12
Forward PE Ratio
16.26
90.91
47.17
17.01
19.08
19.05
First Solar Quarterly Data
2015-12
2016-03
2016-06
2016-09
2016-12
2017-03
2017-06
2017-09
2017-12
2018-03
2018-06
2018-09
2018-12
2019-03
2019-06
2019-09
2019-12
2020-03
2020-06
2020-09
2020-12
2021-03
2026-03
Forward PE Ratio
16.26
15.50
12.36
15.82
90.91
86.96
142.86
71.94
47.17
39.84
44.25
16.18
17.01
20.49
24.33
18.83
19.08
18.87
25.84
18.90
19.05
15.15
11.15
XSWX:FSLR vs NXT, ENPH, RUN: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Solar subindustry, First Solar's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
First Solar Forward PE Ratio vs Semiconductors Industry
For the Semiconductors industry and Technology sector, First Solar's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where First Solar's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
First Solar (XSWX:FSLR) has a Forward PE Ratio of 13.16 as of Jul. 05, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on First Solar and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, First Solar ranks #85 out of 545 companies in the Semiconductors industry, placing it in the top 15.6%.
Is First Solar's Forward PE Ratio too high?
First Solar's current Forward PE Ratio is 13.16. The Semiconductors industry median Forward PE Ratio is 36.50. First Solar's value of 13.16 is 63.9% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, First Solar ranks #85 out of 545 companies in the Semiconductors industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, First Solar has a GF Score™ of 91/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does First Solar's Forward PE Ratio compare to NXT and ENPH?
According to the Semiconductors industry distribution chart, First Solar ranks #85 out of 545 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places First Solar in the top 16% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 36.50. First Solar's value of 13.16 is 63.9% below this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for a Semiconductors company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Semiconductors companies is 36.50, based on 545 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. First Solar's current Forward PE Ratio of 13.16 is 63.9% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on First Solar and its competitors. For the Semiconductors industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 36.50 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. First Solar's current Forward PE Ratio is 13.16. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is First Solar stock overvalued right now?
First Solar (XSWX:FSLR) has a current Forward PE Ratio of 13.16. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF216.07, compared to a current price of CHF182.84 — trading 15.4% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 13.16 and 63.9% below the Semiconductors industry median of 36.50. First Solar's overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For First Solar (XSWX:FSLR), the current Forward PE Ratio is 13.16 as of Jul. 05, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is First Solar (XSWX:FSLR) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Solar stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of CHF182.84 is trading 15.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of CHF216.07.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:FSLR:
Forward PE Ratio: 13.16
GF Value™: CHF216.07 vs. price of CHF182.84 (15.4% below fair value)
Industry Position: 63.9% below the Semiconductors median (#85 of 545)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:FSLR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
First Solar designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic panels, modules, and systems for use in utility-scale development projects. The company's solar modules use cadmium telluride to convert sunlight into electricity. This is commonly called thin-film technology. First Solar is the world's largest thin-film solar module manufacturer. It has production lines in Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, and India.
91GF Score
Get the complete analysis for XSWX:FSLR
Forward PE Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
XSWX:FSLR has been successfully added to your 