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FSLR vs. MKSI: First Solar vs. MKS Stock Comparison

How do First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI) both belong to the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, though FSLR is classified under Semiconductors while MKSI falls under Semiconductor Materials & Equipment.

Company profile comparison for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
Profile ItemFSLRMKSI
NameFirst Solar Inc.MKS Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentSemiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
GICS IndustrySemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentSemiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustrySemiconductorsSemiconductor Materials & Equipment
Market Capitalization21.62 billion USD13.00 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateNovember 17, 2006March 30, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FSLR
MKSI
GSPC
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Total Return (1Y)-28.81%35.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.86%46.46%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.80%6.02%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FSLR
MKSI
GSPC
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)52.55%62.92%
Beta (5Y)1.672.12
Max Drawdown (5Y)-59.97%-66.57%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.40M1.36M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FSLR and MKSI are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.630.49
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.850.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 18.71% and MKS (MKSI) at 20.46% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

18.71%

Max
52.82%
Q3
22.26%
FSLR
18.71%
Median
10.58%
Q1
1.29%
Min
-16.89%

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

20.46%

Max
52.82%
Q3
22.26%
MKSI
20.46%
Median
10.58%
Q1
1.29%
Min
-16.89%
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their ROE against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

First Solar (FSLR) at 37.12% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of MKS (MKSI) at 12.62%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

37.12%

Max
63.80%
FSLR
37.12%
Q3
28.36%
Median
11.44%
Q1
0.90%
Min
-37.77%

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

12.62%

Max
63.80%
Q3
28.36%
MKSI
12.62%
Median
11.44%
Q1
0.90%
Min
-37.77%
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their net margin against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

First Solar (FSLR) at 44.37% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of MKS (MKSI) at 23.21%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

44.37%

Max
58.66%
FSLR
44.37%
Q3
30.23%
Median
15.91%
Q1
7.54%
Min
-25.74%

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

23.21%

Max
58.66%
Q3
30.23%
MKSI
23.21%
Median
15.91%
Q1
7.54%
Min
-25.74%
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
ROE (TTM)18.71%20.46%
ROA (TTM)8.60%6.28%
Net Margin (TTM)37.12%12.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)44.37%23.21%
Gross Margin (TTM)49.25%47.26%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 24.09% and MKS (MKSI) at 9.62% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

MKS (MKSI) at 55.52% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while First Solar (FSLR) at 18.22% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for MKSI.

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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Revenue Growth (YoY)24.09%9.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)25.84%3.49%
EPS Growth (YoY)18.22%55.52%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---7.71%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

First Solar (FSLR) at 2.57 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while MKS (MKSI) at 1.19 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for MKSI.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

2.57

Max
10.33
Q3
5.62
Median
3.33
FSLR
2.57
Q1
2.35
Min
1.03

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

1.19

Max
10.33
Q3
5.62
Median
3.33
Q1
2.35
MKSI
1.19
Min
1.03
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

First Solar (FSLR) at 0.03 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while MKS (MKSI) at 1.22 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.03

Max
1.46
Q3
0.65
Median
0.27
Q1
0.04
FSLR
0.03
Min
0.00

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

1.22

Max
1.46
MKSI
1.22
Q3
0.65
Median
0.27
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.571.19
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.031.22
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.522.67

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

First Solar (FSLR) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile MKS (MKSI) reports a yield of 0.55%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
1.37%
Q3
0.65%
FSLR
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.55%

Max
1.37%
Q3
0.65%
MKSI
0.55%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

First Solar (FSLR) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile MKS (MKSI) reports a payout of 11.48%, ranking against industry peers normally.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.00%

Max
49.64%
Q3
21.71%
FSLR
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

11.48%

Max
49.64%
Q3
21.71%
MKSI
11.48%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.55%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%11.48%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both First Solar (FSLR) at 11.63 and MKS (MKSI) at 22.75 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

11.63

Max
110.34
Q3
66.81
Median
37.02
Q1
23.96
FSLR
11.63
Min
8.12

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

22.75

Max
110.34
Q3
66.81
Median
37.02
Q1
23.96
MKSI
22.75
Min
8.12
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

MKS (MKSI) at 2.72 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while First Solar (FSLR) at 4.31 prices around its industry’s middle — MKSI costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

4.31

Max
21.42
Q3
12.27
Median
5.76
FSLR
4.31
Q1
2.73
Min
0.00

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

2.72

Max
21.42
Q3
12.27
Median
5.76
Q1
2.73
MKSI
2.72
Min
0.00
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

First Solar (FSLR) at 1.99 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while MKS (MKSI) at 3.96 is valued near its industry’s middle — FSLR is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

FSLR

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

1.99

Max
14.06
Q3
7.44
Median
4.29
Q1
2.30
FSLR
1.99
Min
0.20

MKSI

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

3.96

Max
14.06
Q3
7.44
Median
4.29
MKSI
3.96
Q1
2.30
Min
0.20
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First Solar (FSLR) vs. MKS (MKSI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for First Solar (FSLR) and MKS (MKSI)
MetricFSLRMKSI
P/E Ratio (TTM)11.6322.75
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.312.72
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.993.96
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.18%4.02%