First Solar Inc. has huge increase in stock

10/24/2007

First Solar Inc., a solar panel maker whose sole U.S. factory is in Perrysburg Township, had a huge rise in its stock yesterday, up $13.26 a share, after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. assigned an overweight rating because of its earnings prospects.

The company, based in Phoenix, had its stock rise 9.7 percent to $150.16 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading. That was the highest since its initial public offering in November, 2006.

The firm s long-term earnings growth could continue to exceed industry peers by at least two times and could easily triple earnings over the next five years, analyst Vishal Shah wrote in a note.