12 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Invest in According to Analysts

2. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR)

Average Share Price Upside Potential as of January 31: 66.33%

Market Cap: $17.93 billion

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is a leading provider of solar technology solutions, specializing in thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technology. The company has manufacturing facilities in the United States, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It is one of the best large-cap stocks to invest in according to analysts.

In September last year, First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) expanded its solar manufacturing capacity with the inauguration of its new $1.1 billion facility in Lawrence County, Alabama. The facility is expected to add 3.5 gigawatts of vertically integrated solar production capacity in the United States. The company is also constructing a facility in Louisiana, which is slated for completion during the second half of 2025. This has put FSLR on track to achieve over 14 gigawatts of annual U.S. capacity and more than 25 gigawatts of global capacity by 2026.

Besides capacity expansion, the company is also at the forefront of technology development, which positions it well for the future. It is preparing to launch CuRe production during the ongoing fiscal year at its Ohio facility, to produce and sell 0.4 gigawatts of the product through Q1 2025. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) is also advancing work on perovskite technology at its development line in Perrysburg.

During Q3 2024, the company generated net sales of $0.9 billion, with a robust gross margin of 50%. Wall Street analysts are bullish on the stock, with a consensus Strong Buy rating and an average share price upside potential of over 66%.