First Solar hits sales record as it reaffirms 2026 guidance, balances tariff risk

First Solar, one of the largest U.S. solar panel makers, reported strong second-quarter 2026 results: just over $1 billion in sales and $423 million in net income, bringing its first-half sales to a record $2.1 billion. The company stuck with its full-year forecast of $4.9 to $5.2 billion in sales. This is a supplier of solar equipment, not a company homeowners buy directly from, but its health and manufacturing plans can affect the price and availability of solar panels sold through installers.

The company is watching a pending federal tariff decision, expected in early August, that will shape how it handles panel production split between Southeast Asia and the U.S. First Solar has cut back operations at some Malaysia and Vietnam facilities to manage tariff costs while it builds a new plant in South Carolina, set to open in phases starting later this year. Where and how panels are made can affect eligibility for U.S. manufacturing tax credits and "domestic content" rules, which in turn can influence rebates or incentives tied to solar installations.

On the technology side, First Solar is developing two upgrades: a "CuRe" panel design that swaps out copper components and has shown potential for up to 8% more energy output over a panel's lifetime compared to today's common TOPCon panels, and a newer perovskite-based panel it hopes to start producing in early 2027. Neither is available to homeowners yet, but they point to panels that could eventually offer better performance for home solar installations in the coming years.