Which Is a Better Investment, First Solar, Inc. or SiTime Corporation Stock?

By Jenna Brashear
February 07, 2026
Large versus logo comparing two stocks in the same industry
Featured Tickers:

Sifting through countless of stocks in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in SiTime Corporation, First Solar or Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.

SiTime Corporation designs, develops, and sells silicon timing systems solutions in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United States, Singapore, and internationally. The company provides resonators and clock integrated circuits, and various types of oscillators. It serves communications, datacenter, enterprise, automotive, industrial, internet of things, mobile, consumer, and aerospace and defense markets. SiTime Corporation was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Santa Clara, California.

First Solar, Inc., a solar technology company, provides photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions in the United States, France, India, Chile, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells PV solar modules with a thin film semiconductor technology that provides a lower-carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules. It also designs, manufactures, and sells cadmium telluride solar modules that converts sunlight into electricity. The company’s residual business operations include project development activities, operations and maintenance services, and the sale of PV solar power systems to third-party customers. It serves developers and operators of systems, utilities, independent power producers, commercial and industrial companies, and other system owners. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Latest Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment and SiTime Corporation, First Solar, Inc. Stock News

As of February 6, 2026, SiTime Corporation had a $11.0 billion market capitalization, compared to the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment median of $3.3 million. SiTime Corporation’s stock is up 18.5% in 2026, up 15.3% in the previous five trading days and up 87.76% in the past year.

Currently, SiTime Corporation does not have a price-earnings ratio. SiTime Corporation’s trailing 12-month revenue is $281.5 million with a -13.1% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 44.9%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $5.112 per share for the current fiscal year. SiTime Corporation does not currently pay a dividend.

As of February 6, 2026, First Solar, Inc. had a $23.5 billion market cap, putting it in the 87th percentile of all stocks. First Solar, Inc.’s stock is down 16.3% in 2026, down 3% in the previous five trading days and up 34.71% in the past year.

Currently, First Solar, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 16.8. First Solar, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $5.1 billion with a 27.7% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 79.7%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $14.633 per share for the current fiscal year. First Solar, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

How We Compare SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

Learn more about A+ Investor here!

Sign Up to Receive a Free Special Report Showing How A+ Grades Can Help You Make Smarter Investment Decisions

SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.’s Quality Grades

Company Ticker Quality
SiTime Corporation SITM B
First Solar, Inc. FSLR B

Like the Value Grade, AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the percentile rank of key metrics. Specifically, the Quality Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and the F-Score.

The score is variable, meaning it can consider all eight measures or, should any of the eight measures not be valid, the remaining measures that are valid. To be assigned a Quality Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) measure and corresponding ranking for at least four of the eight quality measures.

The Quality Score is used to assess the underlying “quality” of a particular stock. A higher-quality stock possesses traits associated with upside potential and reduced downside risk. Backtesting of the Quality Grade shows that stocks with higher grades, on average, outperformed stocks with lower grades over the period of 1998 through 2019.

Stocks receive better grades (higher scores) for having higher scores for the quality subcomponents and worse grades (lower scores) for lower scores for the subcomponents.

SiTime Corporation has a Quality Score of 69, which is Strong. First Solar, Inc. has a Quality Score of 66, which is Strong.

The Quality Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Quality Grade breakdown above, both SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc. have a grade of B. For investors who focus solely on a company’s overall quality, you will need to conduct further research into both companies to see if they are a good fit for your portfolio. As a good rule of thumb, you should always analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before choosing a company to invest in.

SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company Ticker Momentum
SiTime Corporation SITM A
First Solar, Inc. FSLR C

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

SiTime Corporation has a Momentum Score of 91, which is Very Strong. First Solar, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 51, which is Average.

The Momentum Grade Winner: SiTime Corporation

As you can clearly see from the Momentum Grade breakdown above, SiTime Corporation is considered to have stronger momentum compared to First Solar, Inc.. For those specifically looking for companies that have stronger momentum compared to other companies in the same industry, SiTime Corporation could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company Ticker Earnings Estimate
SiTime Corporation SITM A
First Solar, Inc. FSLR C

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

SiTime Corporation has a Earnings Estimate Score of 96, which is Very Positive. First Solar, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 55, which is Neutral.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: SiTime Corporation

As you can clearly see from the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, SiTime Corporation has a better Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade than First Solar, Inc.. For those who are specifically looking for companies with better short-term prospects when compared to other companies in the same industry, SiTime Corporation could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Don’t Forget Your Free Special Report on How A+ Grades Can Help You Make Investment Decisions

Other SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc. Grades

In addition to Quality, Momentum and Estimate Revisions, A+ Investor also provides grades for Value and Growth.

AAII Platinum Banner

Growth investing builds on the idea that stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth outperform those of slower-growth companies. AAII measures growth through consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations.

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection. Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, SiTime Corporation, First Solar or Inc. Stock?

Overall, SiTime Corporation stock has a Momentum Score of 91, Estimate Revisions Score of 96 and Quality Score of 69.

First Solar, Inc. stock has a Momentum Score of 51, Estimate Revisions Score of 55 and Quality Score of 66.

Comparing SiTime Corporation, First Solar and Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Learn More About A+ Investor

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



Find New Stock Opportunities With Included With AAII Platinum
Zweig Screen: 11.3% Compared to S&P 500
at only 6.9%

Gain Since Inception. Data as of 12/31/2024.




Try AAII Platinum and get full access to
769.3% Stock Superstars Portfolio Total Return Since Inception
Compare to:
710.3% iShare DOW Jones
U.S. Index ETF (IYY)

SSR Group 3 O'Shaughnessy portfolio has a 411.2% gain since inception performance compared to IYY at only 119.1%% Performance as of 11/29/24.

Get your free copy of our special report analyzing the tech stocks most likely to outperform the market.

Download the FREE Report Here:

BECOME A MEMBER FOR ONLY $2

Get access to powerful investment discovery tools and a wealth of investment education to help you achieve your financial goals.