Stock Analysis on Net
Stock Analysis on Net

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR)

$22.49

This company has been moved to the archive! The financial data has not been updated since October 29, 2024.

Return on Equity (ROE)
since 2006

Microsoft Excel

Paying user area

Try for free

First Solar Inc. pages available for free this week:

The data is hidden behind: . Unhide it.

Get access

This is a one-time payment. There is no automatic renewal.

We accept:

Visa Mastercard American Express Maestro Discover JCB PayPal Google Pay
Visa Secure Mastercard Identity Check American Express SafeKey

Calculation

First Solar Inc., ROE, long-term trends, calculation

Microsoft Excel
ROE = 100 × Net income (loss)1 ÷ Stockholders’ equity1
Dec 31, 2023 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2022 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2021 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2020 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2019 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2018 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2017 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2016 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2015 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2014 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2013 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2012 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2011 = 100 × ÷
Dec 31, 2010 = 100 × ÷
Dec 26, 2009 = 100 × ÷
Dec 27, 2008 = 100 × ÷
Dec 29, 2007 = 100 × ÷
Dec 30, 2006 = 100 × ÷

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2011-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2010-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2009-12-26), 10-K (reporting date: 2008-12-27), 10-K (reporting date: 2007-12-29), 10-K (reporting date: 2006-12-30).

1 US$ in thousands

Net Income (Loss) Trend
The net income displayed significant volatility over the reported years. Starting with a positive net income of approximately 3.97 million USD in 2006, there was a substantial growth reaching a peak of over 664 million USD in 2010. However, this was followed by a sharp decline into negative territory in 2011 and 2012, with losses of approximately 39.5 million USD and 96.3 million USD respectively. Recovery was observed in subsequent years, with net income returning to positive figures and fluctuating until 2017, where another decline into negative occurred. From 2018 onwards, the company demonstrated a generally positive trend, culminating in a notable increase to over 830 million USD in 2023, the highest value in the series.
Stockholders’ Equity Trend
Stockholders’ equity showed consistent growth throughout the period, increasing from approximately 411 million USD in 2006 to over 6.6 billion USD in 2023. Although some periods exhibited slower growth or slight decreases (notably between 2015 and 2017), the overall trajectory remained upward. This steady increase indicates an accumulation of retained earnings and possibly additional capital contributions over time, strengthening the company’s financial base.
Return on Equity (ROE) Trend
ROE exhibited notable fluctuations correlating with the net income performance. The early years saw strong positive returns, peaking at over 24% in 2009. From 2011 to 2013, ROE turned negative, reflecting the net losses during this period. Subsequent years showed modest positive returns, generally below 10%, with intermittent negative readings in 2015, 2016, and 2019. The most recent years, 2021 to 2023, indicate an improvement, with ROE reaching 12.42% in 2023, signifying enhanced profitability relative to equity.
Overall Insights
The company experienced considerable earnings volatility, with periods of strong profitability interspersed with notable losses. Despite earnings volatility, the growth in stockholders’ equity suggests sustained capital strengthening. The ROE trend mirrors the profit fluctuations, but recent improvements point towards recovering profitability and efficient equity utilization. The data implies resilience with recovery phases following downturns, and a long-term positive growth in equity capital.

Comparison to Competitors

First Solar Inc., ROE, long-term trends, comparison to competitors

Microsoft Excel
First Solar Inc. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Analog Devices Inc. Applied Materials Inc. Broadcom Inc. Intel Corp. KLA Corp. Lam Research Corp. Micron Technology Inc. NVIDIA Corp. Qualcomm Inc. Texas Instruments Inc.
Dec 31, 2023
Dec 31, 2022
Dec 31, 2021
Dec 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Dec 31, 2018
Dec 31, 2017
Dec 31, 2016
Dec 31, 2015
Dec 31, 2014
Dec 31, 2013
Dec 31, 2012
Dec 31, 2011
Dec 31, 2010
Dec 26, 2009
Dec 27, 2008
Dec 29, 2007
Dec 30, 2006

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2011-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2010-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2009-12-26), 10-K (reporting date: 2008-12-27), 10-K (reporting date: 2007-12-29), 10-K (reporting date: 2006-12-30).

Comparison to Sector (Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment)

First Solar Inc., ROE, long-term trends, comparison to sector (semiconductors & semiconductor equipment)

Microsoft Excel
First Solar Inc. Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
Dec 31, 2023
Dec 31, 2022
Dec 31, 2021
Dec 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Dec 31, 2018
Dec 31, 2017
Dec 31, 2016
Dec 31, 2015
Dec 31, 2014
Dec 31, 2013
Dec 31, 2012
Dec 31, 2011
Dec 31, 2010
Dec 26, 2009
Dec 27, 2008
Dec 29, 2007
Dec 30, 2006

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2011-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2010-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2009-12-26), 10-K (reporting date: 2008-12-27), 10-K (reporting date: 2007-12-29), 10-K (reporting date: 2006-12-30).

Comparison to Industry (Information Technology)

First Solar Inc., ROE, long-term trends, comparison to industry (information technology)

Microsoft Excel
First Solar Inc. Information Technology
Dec 31, 2023
Dec 31, 2022
Dec 31, 2021
Dec 31, 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Dec 31, 2018
Dec 31, 2017
Dec 31, 2016
Dec 31, 2015
Dec 31, 2014
Dec 31, 2013
Dec 31, 2012
Dec 31, 2011
Dec 31, 2010
Dec 26, 2009
Dec 27, 2008
Dec 29, 2007
Dec 30, 2006

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2011-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2010-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2009-12-26), 10-K (reporting date: 2008-12-27), 10-K (reporting date: 2007-12-29), 10-K (reporting date: 2006-12-30).