LIVE
FSLR
First Solar, Inc. · Energy
$257.70
+16.23% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
BE
Bloom Energy Corporation · Energy
$328.91
+25.86% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
FSLR
2
BE
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPAI Score
FSLR 50.9
BE ✓61.6
1Y Return
FSLR +79.08%
BE ✓+1429.81%
Fwd P/E
FSLR ✓11.41
BE 75.66
Target Up.
FSLR ✓-8.06%
BE -19.84%
Op. Margin
FSLR 33.07%
BE N/A
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
FSLR vs BE Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
First Solar and Bloom Energy are both clean energy technology companies but use fundamentally different approaches. First Solar makes solar panels for large utility-scale ground-mounted power plants; Bloom Energy makes fuel cells for on-site distributed power generation at individual facilities. Their customers, use cases, and competitive dynamics are entirely different.
FSLR vs BE is utility-scale solar panel manufacturing with IRA policy tailwind (First Solar) versus distributed on-site fuel cell power generation targeting data centers and critical facilities (Bloom Energy) — First Solar has more revenue visibility and profitability; Bloom offers data center power demand upside at higher risk.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
FSLR and BE are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. BE has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+1429.81% vs +79.08%), though FSLR trades at the lower forward P/E (11.41x vs 75.66x). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for FSLR (-8.06%) than for BE (-19.84%).
Normalized 1Y performance
FSLR
BE
Recent returns
FSLR
BE
Analyst price targets & sentiment
FSLR
Price target range
analyst mean$245.77
current price$257.70
-8.1% upside to analyst mean
BE · 25 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.3/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$55.00
analyst high$335.00
analyst mean$263.65
current price$328.91
-19.8% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
FSLR may suit investors who:
- →prefer the US utility-scale solar manufacturer with IRA domestic content advantages and multi-year backlog visibility
- →value CadTel thin-film technology independence from Chinese polysilicon supply chain
- →want a profitable clean energy manufacturer with strong FCF from contracted backlog at known ASPs
- →are comfortable with IRA policy risk if future administrations reduce domestic content bonuses
BE may suit investors who:
- →prefer distributed fuel cell power generation targeting AI data center and critical facility on-site power needs
- →value Bloom's faster deployment advantage vs. utility-scale solar for data centers needing immediate power
- →want exposure to hydrogen-capable fuel cells as a long-duration bet on green hydrogen cost declines
- →are comfortable with ongoing operating losses and lumpy revenue as Bloom scales its Energy Server business
Performance & AI score
| Metric | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 50.9 | 61.6 |
| AI rank | #408 | #134 |
| Latest close | $257.70 | $328.91 |
| 1M return | +16.23% | +25.86% |
| 6M return | +1.44% | +327.32% |
| 1Y return | +79.08% | +1429.81% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $17.94K (+79.4%) started 2025-06-18 | $152.98K (+1429.8%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $32.96K (+229.6%) started 2021-06-21 | $133.43K (+1234.3%) started 2021-06-18 |
| 10Y ago | $52.25K (+422.5%) started 2016-06-20 | $131.56K (+1215.6%) started 2018-07-25 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $28.72B | $93.56B |
| Trailing P/E | 17.27 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 11.41 | 75.66 |
| Price/Sales | N/A | 38.20 |
| EV/Revenue | 4.96 | 32.82 |
| Analyst target | $245.77 | $263.65 |
| Target upside | -8.06% | -19.84% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 23.60% | 130.40% |
| Earnings growth | 65.10% | N/A |
| EPS growth | +65.10% | N/A |
| FCF margin | +21.18% | +10.84% |
| Operating margin | 33.07% | N/A |
| Profit margin | 30.73% | 0.25% |
| ROIC proxy | 18.44% | 1.29% |
| Return on equity | 18.44% | 1.29% |
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.00% |
| Beta | 1.69 | 3.75 |
| Debt/equity | 5.94 | 311.48 |
| Current ratio | 2.56 | 5.03 |
| Quick ratio | 1.91 | 3.98 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
FSLR max drawdown35.10%
BE max drawdown45.94%
FSLR max wkly drop21.67%
BE max wkly drop26.41%
5Y risk snapshot
FSLR max drawdown59.97%
BE max drawdown75.87%
FSLR max wkly drop21.67%
BE max wkly drop40.25%
10Y risk snapshot
FSLR max drawdown61.26%
BE max drawdown92.54%
FSLR max wkly drop25.40%
BE max wkly drop59.87%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +79.37% | +1429.81% |
| CAGR | +79.52% | +1432.67% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.25 | 3.03 | |
| Max drawdown | 35.10% | 45.94% | |
| Max daily drop | 13.61% | 18.28% | |
| Max wkly drop | 21.67% | 26.41% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +229.58% | +1234.32% |
| CAGR | +26.99% | +67.91% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.63 | 0.96 | |
| Max drawdown | 59.97% | 75.87% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.89% | 24.79% | |
| Max wkly drop | 21.67% | 40.25% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +422.51% | +1215.64% |
| CAGR | +17.99% | +38.58% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.49 | 0.76 | |
| Max drawdown | 61.26% | 92.54% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.89% | 42.50% | |
| Max wkly drop | 25.40% | 59.87% |
Business comparison
| Category | FSLR | BE |
|---|---|---|
| Company | First Solar, Inc. | Bloom Energy Corporation |
| Sector | Technology | Energy |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | First Solar manufactures CadTel thin-film solar panels for utility-scale solar power plants sold to utilities, independent power producers, and corporate buyers in the US, Europe, and Asia. Its US manufacturing (Ohio, Alabama) makes it the primary IRA domestic content beneficiary in the solar supply chain. First Solar's multi-year customer backlog of 70+ GW provides exceptional revenue visibility relative to most clean energy companies. | Bloom Energy manufactures solid oxide fuel cells (Energy Servers) that generate electricity on-site from natural gas, hydrogen, or biogas without combustion, producing electricity more efficiently and with lower emissions than grid power or backup generators. Its primary customers are data centers, hospitals, manufacturers, and utilities needing reliable on-site power. The AI data center power demand surge has increased Bloom's appeal as a faster-to-deploy baseload power alternative to grid-scale generation. |
| Investor focus | Investors track manufacturing capacity additions (GW per year), ASP trends in contracted backlog, domestic content bonus credit realization under the IRA, and Series 7 module efficiency improvements. | Investors track Energy Server shipment volumes and revenue growth, data center customer win rate as AI power demand surges, hydrogen fuel cell advancement (Bloom's solid oxide cells can run on hydrogen), and path to sustained profitability. |
FSLR strengths
- →IRA domestic content bonus credits are inaccessible to Chinese panel manufacturers, creating a durable US market competitive advantage
- →70+ GW customer backlog provides 3–4 years of forward revenue visibility highly unusual in clean energy manufacturing
- →CadTel technology uses no polysilicon, insulating First Solar from Chinese polysilicon supply chain vulnerabilities
BE strengths
- →Solid oxide fuel cell technology provides on-site baseload power generation faster to deploy than utility-scale solar or wind
- →AI data center power demand surge creates an urgent customer need for reliable distributed power that Bloom's Energy Servers can address
- →Hydrogen-capable fuel cells position Bloom for future hydrogen economy if green hydrogen costs decline sufficiently
Risks to watch — FSLR
- →IRA policy risk from future administrations could reduce or eliminate domestic content advantages
- →Module ASP trends downward over time as manufacturing efficiency improves — maintaining value requires constant technology advancement
- →Utility interconnection queue delays can push project timelines for customers, potentially affecting module delivery schedules
Risks to watch — BE
- →Natural gas dependency means Bloom's fuel cells are not zero-carbon without green hydrogen, limiting clean energy credentialing
- →Revenue growth has been lumpy and profitability elusive — significant operating losses continue as the company scales
- →Competition from backup diesel generators, battery storage, and utility-scale solar for data center power contracts
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