First Solar, Inc., a solar technology company, provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions in the United States, France, Japan, Chile, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells PV solar modules with a thin film semiconductor technology that provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules. It designs, manufactures, and sells cadmium telluride solar modules that converts sunlight into electricity. The company's residual business operations include project development activities, operations and maintenance services, and the sale of PV solar power systems to third-party customers. It serves developers and operators of systems, utilities, independent power producers, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

First Solar, Inc.

Canadian Solar, Inc. CSIQ reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted loss of 53 cents per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of earnings of 76 cents.
The company reported a GAAP loss of 8 cents per share, deteriorating from the year-ago quarter’s earnings of 2 cents per share.
CSIQ’s Revenues
Canadian Solar reported revenues of $1.69 billion, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.92 billion by 11.7%. However, the top line rose 3.5% from the year-ago quarter’s $1.64 billion.
This year-over-year increase was driven primarily by higher sales of battery energy storage systems and solar modules.
Canadian Solar Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Operational Update of CSIQ
Solar module shipments in the quarter totaled 7.9 gigawatts (GW), within the company’s guidance of 7.5-8.0 GW. However, the metric fell 4% year over year.
Canadian Solar’s gross margin was 29.8%, which was higher than its guided range of 23-25%. The gross margin climbed 1,260 basis points year over year due to a release of unrealized profit upon sales-type leasing of a U.S. project, higher margin contribution from battery energy storage systems, and the benefit from a U.S. anti-dumping and countervailing duty true-up adjustment.
Total operating expenses were $377.6 million, up 61.1% year over year due to the impairment charges related to certain solar and storage assets, as well as manufacturing assets.
Depreciation and amortization charges totaled $145.8 million, up from $122 million recorded in the year-ago period.
Canadian Solar’s Financial Update
As of June 30, 2025, Canadian Solar’s cash and cash equivalents totaled $1.86 billion, up from $1.70 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024.
Long-term borrowings as of June 30, 2025, were $3.46 billion, up from $2.73 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024.
CSIQ’s 2025 Guidance
For the third quarter of 2025, Canadian Solar expects total module shipments of 5.0-5.3 GW. Total battery energy storage shipments are expected to be 2.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 2.3 GWh, including nearly 250 megawatt-hours to its projects.
Total revenues are expected to be $1.3-$1.5 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales is pegged at $1.92 billion, higher than the company’s guided range.
The company expects the gross margin between 14% and 16%.
For 2025, the company expects total module shipments to be 25-27 GW, including nearly one GW for its projects. It anticipates total battery energy storage shipments to be 7-9 GWh.
Total revenues are expected to be $5.6-$6.3 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales is pegged at $6.3 billion, which is the higher end of the company’s guided range.
CSIQ’s Zacks Rank
Canadian Solar currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Recent Solar Releases
First Solar, Inc. FSLR reported second-quarter 2025 earnings of $3.18 per share, which were down 2.2% from the prior-year quarter’s figure of $3.25. The bottom line, however, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.68 per share by 18.7%.
First Solar’s second-quarter net sales were $1.10 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.03 billion by 6.6%. The top line also improved 8.6% from the year-ago quarter’s $1.01 billion.
Enphase Energy, Inc. ENPH posted second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of 69 cents per share, which increased 60.5% from 43 cents reported in the prior-year quarter. The bottom line also surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 62 cents by 11.3%.
Enphase Energy’s second-quarter revenues of $363.2 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $357 million by 1.9%. The top line also increased 19.7% from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure of $303.5 million.
SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. SEDG registered second-quarter 2025 adjusted loss of 81 cents per share, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 82 cents. The bottom line also improved from the prior-year quarter’s loss of $1.79.
The company’s revenues of $289.4 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.7%. The top line also increased 9.1% from the year-ago quarter’s $265.4 million.
One Big Gain, Every Trading Day
To help you take full advantage of this market, you’re invited to access every stock recommendation in all our private portfolios - for just $1.
Zacks private portfolio services that closed 256 double and triple-digit winners in 2024 alone. That’s about one big gain every day the market was open. Of course, not all our picks are winners, but members have seen recent gains as high as +627% +1,340%, and +1,708%.
Imagine how much you could profit with a steady stream of real-time picks from all our services that cover a number of strategies to suit a variety of investing and trading styles.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Canadian Solar Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y

The following are the top rated Information Technology stocks according to Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
FIRST SOLAR INC (FSLR) is a large-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 93% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: First Solar, Inc. is a photovoltaic (PV) solar technology and manufacturing company. It is focused on enabling power generation needs with its advanced, thin film PV technology. The Company's primary segment is its modules business, which involves the design, manufacture, and sale of CdTe solar modules, which convert sunlight into electricity. Third-party customers of the segment include system developers, independent power producers, utilities, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners and operators. The Company's products include the Series 7 Module and Series 6 Plus module. Its Series 6 Plus module is a glass laminate approximately 4ft x 6ft in size that encapsulates thin film PV semiconductor materials. Its Series 7 module has a larger form factor of approximately 4ft x 7ft in size. The Series 6 Plus and Series 7 modules had an average power output of 459 watts and 531 watts, respectively.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of FIRST SOLAR INC
AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC (ACLS) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 93% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Axcelis Technologies, Inc. provides high-productivity solutions for the semiconductor industry. The Company is focused on developing enabling process applications through the design, manufacture and complete life cycle support of ion implantation systems, one of the critical and enabling steps in the IC manufacturing process. Its ion implantation products include high current ion implant, high energy ion implant and medium current ion implant. The Company's Purion H, Purion Dragon, Purion H200, and GSD/E2 Ovation spot beam, high current systems cover all traditional high current requirements as well as those associated with emerging and future devices. Its Purion XE, EXE, and other Purion high energy systems combine its production-proven RF Linac high energy, spot beam technology with the Purion platform wafer handling system. Its medium current ion implant products include its Purion M Si and SiC medium current systems. It also offers its customers aftermarket service and support.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
FORTINET INC (FTNT) is a large-cap growth stock in the Software & Programming industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Fortinet, Inc. is engaged in cybersecurity, driving the convergence of networking and security. The Companys integrated platform, Fortinet Security Fabric, spans secure networking, unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven security operations (SecOps). Its products and services include FortiOS, FortiASIC, FortiCloud, FortiAI, FortiEndpoint, and OT Security. The FortiGuard Labs is a cybersecurity threat intelligence and research organization comprised of experienced threat hunters, researchers, analysts, engineers and data scientists who develop and utilize machine learning and AI technologies. FortiGuard and Other Security Services are a suite of AI-powered security capabilities that are integrated as part of the Fortinet Security Fabric to deliver coordinated detection and enforcement across the entire attack surface. FortiCare Technical Support Service is a per-device technical support service. It also operates Fortinet Training Institute.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of FORTINET INC
CAMTEK LTD (CAMT) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Electronic Instr. & Controls industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Camtek Ltd is an Israel-based manufacturer of metrology and inspection equipment and a provider of software solutions. The Company mainly serves Advanced Packaging, Memory, Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Image Sensors, Micro Electro Mechanical Sensor (MEMS), Radio Frequency (RF), and other segments in the mid-end of the semiconductors industry. The Company has more than seven offices around the world and provides tailor-made solutions in line with customers' requirements. Camtek Ltd's subsidiaries are Camtek Europe SA, Camtek Korea Ltd, Camtek South East Asia Pte Ltd, Camtek USA Inc, Sela - Semiconductor Engineering Laboratories USA Inc, Camtek Japan Ltd and Sela Semiconductor Engineering Laboratories Ltd, among others.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of CAMTEK LTD
FLEX LTD (FLEX) is a large-cap growth stock in the Communications Equipment industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Flex Ltd. is the manufacturing partner that helps brands design, build, deliver and manage products. The Company delivers advanced manufacturing, data center IT and power infrastructure solutions. Its segments include Flex Agility Solutions (FAS) and Flex Reliability Solutions (FRS). The FAS segment consists of various end markets, such as Communications, Enterprise and Cloud, including data infrastructure, edge infrastructure and communications infrastructure; Lifestyle, including appliances, consumer packaging, floorcare, micromobility and audio; and Consumer Devices, including mobile and high velocity consumer devices. The FRS segment consists of end markets, such as Automotive, including mobility, autonomous, connectivity, electrification, and smart technologies; Health Solutions, including medical devices, medical equipment and drug delivery; and Industrial, including capital equipment, industrial devices, embedded and critical power offerings and renewables and grid edge.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of FLEX LTD
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Validea's Top Information Technology Stocks Based On Peter Lynch - 8/22/2025

Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at ETF Channel, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself. For the SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF (Symbol: SPUS), we found that the implied analyst target price for the ETF based upon its underlying holdings is $51.68 per unit.
With SPUS trading at a recent price near $46.28 per unit, that means that analysts see 11.66% upside for this ETF looking through to the average analyst targets of the underlying holdings. Three of SPUS's underlying holdings with notable upside to their analyst target prices are Nordson Corp. (Symbol: NDSN), Equifax Inc (Symbol: EFX), and First Solar Inc (Symbol: FSLR). Although NDSN has traded at a recent price of $219.77/share, the average analyst target is 14.72% higher at $252.11/share. Similarly, EFX has 13.46% upside from the recent share price of $245.45 if the average analyst target price of $278.48/share is reached, and analysts on average are expecting FSLR to reach a target price of $215.97/share, which is 12.48% above the recent price of $192.00. Below is a twelve month price history chart comparing the stock performance of NDSN, EFX, and FSLR:
Below is a summary table of the current analyst target prices discussed above:
Name
Symbol
Recent Price
Avg. Analyst 12-Mo. Target
% Upside to Target
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia Industry Exclusions ETF
SPUS
$46.28
$51.68
11.66%
Nordson Corp.
NDSN
$219.77
$252.11
14.72%
Equifax Inc
EFX
$245.45
$278.48
13.46%
First Solar Inc
FSLR
$192.00
$215.97
12.48%
Are analysts justified in these targets, or overly optimistic about where these stocks will be trading 12 months from now? Do the analysts have a valid justification for their targets, or are they behind the curve on recent company and industry developments? A high price target relative to a stock's trading price can reflect optimism about the future, but can also be a precursor to target price downgrades if the targets were a relic of the past. These are questions that require further investor research.
Also see:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Sum Up The Pieces: SPUS Could Be Worth $52

Looking at the sectors faring worst as of midday Thursday, shares of Utilities companies are underperforming other sectors, showing a 0.7% loss. Within the sector, PG&E Corp (Symbol: PCG) and Edison International (Symbol: EIX) are two large stocks that are lagging, showing a loss of 3.9% and 3.6%, respectively. Among utilities ETFs, one ETF following the sector is the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (Symbol: XLU), which is down 0.6% on the day, and up 14.65% year-to-date. PG&E Corp, meanwhile, is down 26.51% year-to-date, and Edison International, is down 29.32% year-to-date. Combined, PCG and EIX make up approximately 4.1% of the underlying holdings of XLU.
The next worst performing sector is the Technology & Communications sector, showing a 0.6% loss. Among large Technology & Communications stocks, First Solar Inc (Symbol: FSLR) and Enphase Energy Inc. (Symbol: ENPH) are the most notable, showing a loss of 6.7% and 4.1%, respectively. One ETF closely tracking Technology & Communications stocks is the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK), which is down 0.4% in midday trading, and up 11.65% on a year-to-date basis. First Solar Inc, meanwhile, is up 9.28% year-to-date, and Enphase Energy Inc., is down 50.20% year-to-date. Combined, FSLR and ENPH make up approximately 0.3% of the underlying holdings of XLK.
Comparing these stocks and ETFs on a trailing twelve month basis, below is a relative stock price performance chart, with each of the symbols shown in a different color as labeled in the legend at the bottom:
Here's a snapshot of how the S&P 500 components within the various sectors are faring in afternoon trading on Thursday. As you can see, two sectors are up on the day, while seven sectors are down.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Thursday Sector Laggards: Utilities, Technology & Communications

In early trading on Thursday, shares of Nordson topped the list of the day's best performing components of the S&P 500 index, trading up 7.2%. Year to date, Nordson registers a 9.4% gain.
And the worst performing S&P 500 component thus far on the day is Walmart, trading down 4.2%. Walmart is showing a gain of 8.8% looking at the year to date performance.
Two other components making moves today are First Solar, trading down 3.2%, and Packaging Corp of America, trading up 2.8% on the day.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

S&P 500 Movers: WMT, NDSN

Looking at options trading activity among components of the S&P 500 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Digital Realty Trust Inc (Symbol: DLR), where a total volume of 18,064 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 1.8 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 123.8% of DLR's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $150 strike put option expiring January 16, 2026, with 10,020 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.0 million underlying shares of DLR. Below is a chart showing DLR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $150 strike highlighted in orange:
Moderna Inc (Symbol: MRNA) options are showing a volume of 95,334 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 9.5 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 111.9% of MRNA's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 8.5 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $29.50 strike call option expiring August 22, 2025, with 30,432 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 3.0 million underlying shares of MRNA. Below is a chart showing MRNA's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $29.50 strike highlighted in orange:
And First Solar Inc (Symbol: FSLR) options are showing a volume of 26,592 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 2.7 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 80.6% of FSLR's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 3.3 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $202.50 strike put option expiring August 22, 2025, with 3,934 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 393,400 underlying shares of FSLR. Below is a chart showing FSLR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $202.50 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for DLR options, MRNA options, or FSLR options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
DNLI market cap history
CBOU Insider Buying
PBW Average Annual Return
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable Wednesday Option Activity: DLR, MRNA, FSLR

The following are the top rated Information Technology stocks according to Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
FIRST SOLAR INC (FSLR) is a large-cap growth stock in the Semiconductors industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 93% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: First Solar, Inc. is a photovoltaic (PV) solar technology and manufacturing company. It is focused on enabling power generation needs with its advanced, thin film PV technology. The Company's primary segment is its modules business, which involves the design, manufacture, and sale of CdTe solar modules, which convert sunlight into electricity. Third-party customers of the segment include system developers, independent power producers, utilities, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners and operators. The Company's products include the Series 7 Module and Series 6 Plus module. Its Series 6 Plus module is a glass laminate approximately 4ft x 6ft in size that encapsulates thin film PV semiconductor materials. Its Series 7 module has a larger form factor of approximately 4ft x 7ft in size. The Series 6 Plus and Series 7 modules had an average power output of 459 watts and 531 watts, respectively.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of FIRST SOLAR INC
ADVANTEST CORP (ADR) (ATEYY) is a large-cap growth stock in the Electronic Instr. & Controls industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 87% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Advantest Corp is a Japan-based company mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of semiconductor and component test system product lines and mechatronics-related product lines, as well as other related research and development, maintenance and service activities. The Company consists of three business segments. The Semiconductor and Component Test Systems Business segment provides test system products such as System on Chip (SoC) test systems and memory test systems for the semiconductor and electronic component industries. The Mechatronics-related Business segment provides test handlers for mechatronics-applied products that handle semiconductor devices, device interfaces that interface with the device under test, and nanotechnology-related products. The Services and Others segment provides comprehensive customer solutions, solutions for system-level testing of solid state drive (SSD) and other devices, support services, used equipment sales, and equipment leasing.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of ADVANTEST CORP (ADR)
BADGER METER INC (BMI) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Scientific & Technical Instr. industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 74% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Badger Meter, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of products incorporating flow measurement, quality, control and other system solutions serving markets worldwide. Its offerings, marketed as BlueEdge, include a suite of tailorable solutions that connect water management technology, software and support services to deliver insights enabling the proactive management of water across the water cycle. Its solutions include measurement and control hardware, connectivity and communication, data visualization and software-delivered actionable insights, and ongoing support to optimize customers' operations. Its measurement and control hardware, instruments and sensors include product families, such as meters that measure the flow of water and other fluids, water quality monitoring solutions and high frequency pressure and acoustic leak detection hardware that provides real-time monitoring data. It offers a range of communication solutions including the ORION branded family of radio endpoints.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of BADGER METER INC
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Validea's Top Information Technology Stocks Based On Peter Lynch - 8/20/2025

TotalEnergies SE TTE announced the solarization of its lubricant plant at Go Dau, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam. This project is part of TotalEnergies' ongoing commitment to energy transition across its operations in Vietnam.
The landmark project is the first for TotalEnergies ENEOS in Vietnam. This company is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and ENEOS to develop on-site B2B solar distributed generation across Asia.
The project combines a 220-kWh battery energy storage system (“BESS”) with a 310 kWp solar photovoltaic (“PV”) system, allowing the plant to use clean, renewable energy to cover up to 60% of its electrical needs. The system is expected to generate approximately 460 MWh of electricity annually, avoiding around 300 tons of CO??? emissions each year.
How Will TTE Benefit From It?
TotalEnergies is expected to seek financial efficiency via energy cost relief. Generating its own electricity reduces dependence on grid power, which can have variable prices. This helps stabilize and potentially lower operating costs over time.
The battery storage component enables better management of energy — storing solar power for use during peak periods or outages. Solar power plus battery storage visibly showcases the company’s commitment to clean energy and sustainability, thereby improving its standing on environmental, social and governance benchmarks. This initiative reflects TotalEnergies' broader ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while supporting its local entities in reducing their carbon footprint and enhancing energy resilience.
These moves also support TotalEnergies’ plan to have low-carbon businesses represent 15-20% of its sales by 2040, and expand its renewable energy generation capacity substantially.
TTE’s Focus on Clean Energy
TTE is developing a world-class, cost-competitive portfolio that combines flexible assets, such as combined-cycle gas turbines and storage, with renewable energy sources, including solar, onshore and offshore wind. The idea is to provide clean, reliable electricity to its customers.
At the end of June 2025, TotalEnergies had 30 gigawatt ("GW") of installed gross renewable electricity generation capacity. It aims to reach 35 GW by the end of 2025, and achieve more than 100 terawatt-hours of net electricity production by 2030.
In July 2025, TotalEnergies closed its acquisition of a 50% stake in the solar, wind and BESS portfolio of AES Corporation’s AES subsidiary AES Dominicana Renewables Energy. Through this acquisition, TTE will be able to expand its renewables business in the Dominican Republic, where it currently has a 103 MW solar project under development, a largely solarized network of 184 service stations and natural gas distribution.
Other Companies’ Focus on Renewables
As industries accelerate their transition to cleaner energy, solar PV deployment has witnessed significant global growth in recent years. Other companies such as SolarEdge Technologies SEDG and First Solar FSLR are also benefiting from the expanding market for solar PV and battery storage.
SolarEdge Technologies significantly benefits from the growth of solar PV technology by providing solutions that enhance the efficiency, performance and management of solar energy systems.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SEDG’s 2025 earnings per share and sales indicates a year-over-year increase of 86.7% and 24.5%, respectively.
First Solar specializes in thin-film PV technology, which requires less semiconductor material than traditional silicon-based panels. This technology also offers advantages in terms of temperature coefficient, spectral response and shading response.
FSLR’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 33.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 sales indicates a year-over-year increase of 28%.
TTE Stock’s Price Performance
In the past six months, shares of TotalEnergies have risen 2.7% compared with the industry’s 2% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
TTE’s Zacks Rank
The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)
The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.
One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
See This Stock Now for Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

TotalEnergies Boosts Clean Energy Goals With Solarized Vietnam Plant

Solar energy stocks had been on a tear over the last few trading sessions thanks to a wave of favorable policy changes and investor optimism around clean energy incentives.
Prior to the rally, many solar stocks had lost momentum in recent months, stemming from news that they would no longer be as privy to federal tax credits.
However, the U.S. Treasury Department and IRS have released updated rules for clean energy tax credits that were less restrictive than expected, clarifying how solar projects qualify for federal incentives.
This has led to analysts, including those at UBS and Citi, to highlight the new rules as a win for solar developers. With uncertainty surrounding the solar industry being reduced, it may certainly be a more favorable time to invest in a power source that drastically reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar energy is also one of the cheapest sources of electricity in many parts of the world, and has created a surplus of jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. In the U.S. alone, solar jobs have grown five times faster than the overall job market.
Keeping the strengthening outlook for the solar industry in mind, here are three stocks and an ETF that investors may want to consider in particular.
First Solar – FSLR
Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)
Seeing as the new Treasury guidance on tax credits is geared toward large-scale installations, First Solar FSLR is well-positioned to benefit as the largest solar panel manufacturer in the United States.
Thanks to its U.S.-based manufacturing, First Solar is expected to earn over $1 billion in credits this year, with analysts at UBS naming FSLR a top stock pick due to the company’s strong growth potential under the revised framework for the Inflation Reduction Act.
Looking more likely to hit projections of high double-digit top and bottom line growth in fiscal 2025 and FY26, First Solar stock has now rebounded and risen +20% year to date, but is still nearly 20% from its 52-week high of $262 a share.
Sunrun – RUN
Zacks Rank #3 (Hold)
In addition to the positive solar industry tax credit news, strong Q2 results a few weeks ago have made Sunrun RUN one of the hottest momentum stocks of late. Sunrun smashed Q2 earnings expectations, delivering a profit of $1.07 per share, with estimates calling for a loss of -$0.18 a share.
The driver for Sunrun’s jaw-dropping earnings beat was increased demand for solar and battery storage solutions. Achieving a record storage attachment rate during Q2, 70% of Sunrun’s customers added battery storage to their solar systems, with storage installations jumping 48% year over year.
Although EPS estimates for Sunrun have soared in the last 30 days for FY25 and FY26, this has been priced into its stock movement as RUN has skyrocketed +50% this month and is now sitting on gains of more than +65% YTD. Still, favorable policy changes could lead to a further uptick in the already positive trend of earnings estimate revisions, with RUN trading at $15 and edging closer to its 52-week high of $22 a share.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Shoals – SHLS
Zacks Rank #2 (Buy)
Trading just above penny stock status at around $6 a share, the risk-to-reward looks favorable to invest in Shoals Technologies SHLS stock. With SHLS spiking over +10% this month and now up +8% for the year, Shoals' diverse portfolio of solar balance systems products has become attractive, which includes combine/re-combiner boxes, disconnect boxes, custom harnessing solutions, and junction boxes, among other equipment.
Going public in 2021, Shoals is already profitable, and investors have the opportunity to get in on the company’s expansion at a 71% discount to its IPO price of $21. Notably, Shoals’ top line is expected to expand 15% in FY25, with FY26 sales projected to increase another 18% to new peaks at over $540 million.
Shoals' annual earnings are currently slated to be up 8% this year to $0.38 per share, and FY26 EPS is forecasted to pop another 33% to over $0.50 and near the company’s all-time high. Reassuringly, Shoals’ FY25 and FY26 EPS estimates are nicely up in the last 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Exposure Through the TAN ETF
For investors looking to divert some of the direct risk of individual stock picking among solar companies, the Invesco Solar ETF TAN is a way to do so.
Having an inception date that goes back to 2008, TAN currently lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with its largest holdings being First Solar and NexTracker NXT at over 9% respectively. Over 4% of this ETF's holdings are in Sunrun, with 2.82% in Shoals Technologies. TAN currently trades at $40 a share, spiking +13% in August, and is up +26% for the year.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Time to Invest in Solar Energy?

Solar stocks have rallied on Aug. 18, 2025 after the U.S. Treasury Department released guidance on which projects qualify for clean energy tax credits. The rules proved to be less restrictive than investors had feared initially, leading to a sharp rally across the sector.
Market Reaction
First Solar FSLR jumped more than 9%, making it the second-best performer in the S&P 500 on Monday, as part of a relief rally. Sunrun RUN gained nearly 11.4%. Enphase Energy ENPH & SolarEdge SEDG each added more-or-less 3%.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like Proshares S&P Kensho Cleantech ETF CTEX, Fidelity Clean Energy ETF FRNW, SPDR Kensho Clean Power ETF CNRG, Global Clean Energy iShares ETF ICLN and Global X Cleantech ETF CTEC hit a 52-week high on Aug. 18, 2025.
Tax Credit Phase-Out Timeline
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed by President Donald Trump last month phased out tax credits for new wind and solar projects unless construction begins by July 4, 2026. The new guidance, released Friday by the IRS, clarifies how projects can qualify:
Under the new guidance, smaller projects such as rooftop solar installations will continue to benefit from the 5% “safe harbor” rule, which allows developers to qualify for tax credits if they have invested at least 5% of the project’s total cost and complete construction within four years.
Larger, utility-scale projects, however, will no longer be able to rely on this rule. Instead, they must demonstrate that “physical work of a significant nature” has begun in order to qualify for the credits.
Analyst Takeaways
Jefferies – Analysts called the update a “clear win” for residential solar. Many feared stricter rules, including retroactive changes to Jan. 1 and a reduced safe harbor window from four years to just 2.5 years.
Citi – Citi analysts also described the guidance as “better than anticipated,” as it was not retroactive. They noted concerns that the investment threshold could have been raised to above 10%, which did not materialize, proving a relief to investors.
Boost Your Portfolio with Our Top ETF Insights
Zacks' exclusive Fund Newsletter delivers actionable information, top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, straight to your inbox every week.
Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. It’s free!
Get it now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN): ETF Research Reports
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

First Solar, Inc.

Price history and volume

Shares 360

Investment risk — medium

Investment potential — medium

AI Factors

US Presidential Election

Clean Energy Regulation

Iran vs US war

Natural Gas

Red Sea Shipping Attacks

Oil Prices

Iran vs US war

Japanese Economy

Inflation

US Presidental Election

Supply Chain Disruptions

Security parameters