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Call sheet · Q4'25

First Solar (FSLR)

Q4'25 earnings call · held February 24, 2026 · compared with the Q3'25 call · management-credibility review
10/12
Disclosure score
5 medium, 5 low flags
Financial quality
Bottom line
The sleeper story is FEOC restrictions about to trigger a supply shock that could lock out most Chinese-tied silicon competition overnight, with Widmar explicitly citing Treasury guidance targeting 'gamesmanship.' While everyone focuses on the obvious record bookings story, the binding constraint is Southeast Asia underutilization eating $135M annually - but this becomes massive margin leverage once policy clarity hits. Most revealing quote: 'We anticipate that the forthcoming FEOC restrictions will be aligned with the legislative intent of prohibiting access to tax credits for entities with sudden corporate restructuring lacking business purpose.' My view changes if FEOC guidance is weaker than expected or if the ITC TOPCon petition fails, removing the policy and IP protection that's core to their competitive moat.

The 30-second version

  • The sleeper story: FEOC restrictions about to trigger massive silicon supply shock
  • Record bookings momentum building as policy tailwinds converge
  • Southeast Asia underutilization masking major margin expansion setup

What changed this quarter

MetricQ3'25Q4'25Change
Net Sales$1.6B (+50% QoQ)$1.7B (+6% QoQ)+$1B YoY to $5.2B full year, hitting top end of guidance
EPS Diluted$4.24$4.84 (+14% QoQ)Full year $14.21 vs $12.20 prior year, within guidance
Gross Margin38%Not disclosed for Q4Full year 41% vs 44% prior year, includes $1.6B Section 45X credits
Module Sales Volume5.3 GWNot disclosed Q4Record 17.5 GW full year vs 14.1 GW prior year
Contracted Backlog54.5 GW at $16.4B50.1 GW at $15BDown 4.4 GW but ASP improved to $0.299/watt vs prior
Gross Cash$2.0B$2.9B+$800M sequential, +$1.1B YoY
Net Cash$1.5B$2.4B+$900M sequential, +$1.2B YoY
Section 45X Credits MonetizedNot specified Q3$800M in Q4$1.4B full year 2025 vs $1B in 2024
CapEx$204M Q3$172M Q4Full year $870M vs $1.5B prior year
U.S. Production ForecastNot specified13.0-13.3 GW 2026Growing to 14.9-16.1 GW in 2027

Accountability tracked

8 new promises made5 narrative shifts flagged6 prior promises scored
Inside the full report
The complete write-up covers the full promise ledger with kept/missed calls, disclosure-quality scoring, the metrics-vanished check, verification items, and the questions to ask next quarter.
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Scores, kept-promise rates, and flags on this site reflect the author's opinion, applying a stated methodology to statements management made on public earnings calls. Informational and educational purposes only - not investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Sources believed reliable but not guaranteed; the author may hold positions in the securities discussed.

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