Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. FSLR scored 71.1, NXT scored 66.0 — FSLR leads.
Compare another set
FSLR
First Solar, Inc.
Solar · Quality-Growth
71.1
$177.82 · $19.1B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
5.1
FSLR leads
NXT
Nextpower Inc.
Solar · Quality-Growth
66
$86.11 · $13.2B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
CheapestFSLR11.0x
Fastest growthFSLR+23.8%
Strongest balance sheetNXT0.02
Highest qualityNXT92 / 100
Largest discount to fair valueFSLR-9%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
FSLR
stronger →← stronger
NXT
80
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
92
50
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
50
90
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
62
FSLR and NXT split the three pillars evenly.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
FSLR
NXT
$1.5bC+
FCF
$549mC+
+23.8%A-
Rev
+17.0%B+
0.02A-
D/E
0.02A
11.0xA
P/E
22.3xB+
0.33A
PEG
3.15D
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
FSLR
NXT
9% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
74% above
~12%/yr
Growth the price impliesyr-1 FCF growth, fading to 4% · lower = less priced in
~30%/yr
-14%
1-yr DCF upside
-55%
+9%
5-yr DCF upside
-43%
+51%
10-yr DCF upside
-21%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
FSLR
Why this score
Cyclical growth
NXT
Why this score
Durable high returns
Cyclical growth
The companies
FSLRFirst Solar, Inc.
Solar · $177.82 · beta 1.79
Why now
Solar · market cap $19.1b. Down 45% from 52-week high of $320.95 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +24%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.33 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 30 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $274.47 (implying +54% upside).
Moat
Net margin 32% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 17% is above 15% — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately.
Risk
Down 45% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Beta 1.79 implies above-market volatility — position-size to the drawdowns this name will produce in a market correction, not to its bull-case return.
NXTNextpower Inc.
Solar · $86.11 · beta 1.94
Why now
Solar · market cap $13.2b. Down 47% from 52-week high of $163.13 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +17%, comfortably above the S&P median. 28 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $136.00 (implying +58% upside).
Moat
Net margin 16% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 23% is above 15% — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately.
Risk
Down 47% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Beta 1.94 implies above-market volatility — position-size to the drawdowns this name will produce in a market correction, not to its bull-case return.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
The model favors FSLR (71.3) over NXT (56.2) primarily due to FSLR's significantly higher Value pillar of 90, evidenced by its A-grade PEG of 0.38 versus NXT's D-grade PEG of 3.15. However, a contrarian might prefer NXT for its superior Quality pillar of 92 and "Durable high returns" signal, suggesting a stronger underlying business quality despite the higher price. Both operate in the cyclical solar sector.
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where FSLR and NXT diverge
On the headline score the gap is 5.1 points in favor of FSLR. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
ValueFSLR 89.5 · NXT 62.4FSLR +27.1
QualityFSLR 80.1 · NXT 92.1NXT +12.0
GrowthFSLR 50.0 · NXT 50.0level
Pillars run 0–100. Value is judged against each company's own sector, so a Value score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.
Common questions
Is FSLR or NXT the better stock?
FSLR scores higher: FSLR 71.1, NXT 66.0 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth score, which blends business quality, growth and valuation into one number. A higher score means a stronger business at a more reasonable price — it is not a price target or a recommendation.
Where do FSLR and NXT differ most?
The widest gap is value, where FSLR leads by 27 points on the 0–100 pillar scale. Neither name sweeps: they trade the lead across the three pillars, so the comparison is a trade-off rather than one being better on every measure.
How are FSLR and NXT scored?
Each carries the same 0–100 quality-growth score used everywhere on the site, built from three pillars — quality (profitability and returns on capital), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (what you pay for them) — combined as a geometric mean, so a weak pillar cannot be papered over by a strong one.
How current is this comparison?
The whole universe is re-scored every trading day after the US market close, so the scores and fundamentals here reflect the latest published edition.