FSLR (First Solar) Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 13.71 (As of Jun. 2026) — 68% Below Median

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FSLR First Solar Inc FSLR
90 GF Score
Price $213.47
GF Value $264.51
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 5 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is First Solar Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)?

First Solar FSLR +3.62% 90 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 13.71 as of Jun. 2026, which is 68% below its 10-year median of 42.37. GuruFocus rates FSLR with a GF Score™ of 90/100 and a GF Value™ of $264.51 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 438 Semiconductors companies, First Solar ranks better than 76.48% on this metric.

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $13.71. It's Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio for today is 15.57.


The historical rank and industry rank for First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) or its related term are showing as below:

FSLR' s Price-to-Owner-Earnings Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 5.69   Med: 42.37   Max: 707.63
Current: 15.57


During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio of First Solar was 707.63. The lowest was 5.69. And the median was 42.37.


FSLR's Price-to-Owner-Earnings is ranked better than
76.48% of 438 companies
in the Semiconductors industry
Industry Median: 43.88 vs FSLR: 15.57

First Solar's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the three months ended in Jun. 2026 was $0.39. Its Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $15.48. It's PE Ratio (TTM) ratio for today is 13.79.

First Solar's EPS without NRI for the three months ended in Jun. 2026 was $0.40. Its EPS without NRI for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $15.81. It's PE Ratio without NRI ratio for today is 13.51.


Be Aware

Assumption: Companies usually do not report maintenance capital expenditures and growth capital expenditures separately. Here we use estimated numbers and average them over 5 years. The method to estimate maintenance capital expenditures can be found in above part 4.

Note: GuruFocus' Change In Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.


First Solar Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Related Terms


First Solar Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) 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 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Chart

First Solar Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -0.66 5.85 -1.17 3.52 10.24

First Solar Quarterly Data
Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26 Jun26
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -5.74 6.24 10.24 13.71 0.00

FSLR vs NXT, ENPH, SEDG: Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Comparison

For the Solar subindustry, First Solar's Price-to-Owner-Earnings, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Owner-Earnings 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 Price-to-Owner-Earnings vs Semiconductors Industry

For the Semiconductors industry and Technology sector, First Solar's Price-to-Owner-Earnings distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where First Solar's Price-to-Owner-Earnings falls into.


FSLR
90GF Score
First Solar Inc FSLR
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

First Solar Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume. (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

To make it simple, then you will have:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) = (Net Income + Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization + Change In Deferred Tax - 5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure + Change In Working Capital) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)

First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation:

TTM / Last Quarter Average of Last 20 Quarters
Net Income 1,746
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization 576
Change In Deferred Tax 8
5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure 908
Change In Working Capital -273
Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) 1,077

1. Start with "Net Income" from income statement. First Solar's Net Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $1,746 Mil.

2. "Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization" is from cashflow statement. First Solar's Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $576 Mil. This needs to be added back because company does not actually need to pay cash for it. It is a non-cash item.

3. Other non-cash charges usually include "Stock Based Compensation" and "Change In Deferred Tax":
However, to be conservative, GuruFocus will not add Stock Based Compensation back to net income. First Solar's Change In Deferred Tax for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $8 Mil.

4. Average maintenance capital expenditure over a business/industry cycle: 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $908 Mil

It is usually best to take a long-term average of maintenance capital expenditure. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since many companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditure.

The following shows how to get maintenance capital expenditure.

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous quarter. If the revenue decreased from the previous quarter, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous quarter, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Growth Capital Expenditure = Percentage of Property, Plant and Equipment as of corresponding Revenue * Revenue Increase
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
Fourth, get the average of the 5 years maintenance capital expenditure.

First Solar's 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $908 Mil

5. "Change In Working Capital" is from cashflow statement. First Solar's Change In Working Capital for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Jun. 2026 was $-273 Mil.
Note: GuruFocus' Change in Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And sometimes it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.

6. First Solar's Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) for the months ended in Jun. 2026 was 1077.320 Mil.

First Solar's Onwer Earnings Per Share for Jun. 2026 is calculated as:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=( Net Income+Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization+Change In Deferred Tax
=( 1746.014 +576.198+7.872
-5Y Avg of Maintenance CAPEX+Change In Working Capital )/Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
-908.27086736373+-272.73)/1077.320
=13.71

Price-to-Owner-Earnings=Current Price/Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=213.47/13.71
=15.57

* 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.

What does a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 13.71 mean?
First Solar (FSLR) has a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 13.71 as of Jun. 2026. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on First Solar. This is 68% below median its historical median of 42.37. Over the past decade, First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 5.69 to 707.63. According to the industry distribution chart, First Solar ranks #103 out of 438 companies in the Semiconductors industry, placing it in the top 23.5%.
Is First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) too high?
First Solar's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 13.71 is 68% below median its 10-year median of 42.37. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.69 to a high of 707.63. The Semiconductors industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 43.88. First Solar's value of 13.71 is 68.8% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, First Solar ranks #103 out of 438 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 90/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does First Solar's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) compare to NXT and ENPH?
According to the Semiconductors industry distribution chart, First Solar ranks #103 out of 438 companies for Owner Earnings per Share (TTM). This places First Solar in the top 24% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 43.88. First Solar's value of 13.71 is 68.8% below this benchmark. Historically, First Solar's own Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 5.69 to 707.63 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 42.37 vs. the industry median of 43.88, First Solar has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) for a Semiconductors company?
The median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) among Semiconductors companies is 43.88, based on 438 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. First Solar's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 13.71 is 68.8% 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 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) mean?
A high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on First Solar. For the Semiconductors industry, the median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 43.88 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. First Solar's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 13.71, which is 68% below median its own 10-year median of 42.37. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Solar (FSLR) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $264.51, compared to a current price of $213.47 — trading 19.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 13.71, which is 68% below median its 10-year median of 42.37 and 68.8% below the Semiconductors industry median of 43.88. First Solar's overall GF Score™ is 90/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) calculated?
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For First Solar (FSLR), the current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 13.71 as of Jun. 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 (FSLR) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, First Solar stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $213.47 is trading 19.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $264.51. GuruFocus considers First Solar to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for FSLR:

  • Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 13.71 (68% below median its 10-year median of 42.37)
  • GF Value™: $264.51 vs. price of $213.47 (19.3% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 90/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 68.8% below the Semiconductors median (#103 of 438)

No single metric tells the full story. See the FSLR stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


First Solar Business Description

Address 4300 East Camelback Road, Suite 220, Phoenix, AZ, USA, 85018
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.
90GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FSLR

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$213.47
Price
$264.51
GF Value