First Solar vs Microchip Technology
First Solar reported revenue of $5.2 billion in fiscal 2025, about the same as Microchip Technology's $4.7 billion in fiscal 2026. First Solar's revenue grew 24.1% in its latest year, and Microchip Technology's grew 7.1%. First Solar had an operating margin of 30.6%, against 10.4% at Microchip Technology. Free cash flow was $1.2 billion at First Solar and $871 million at Microchip Technology. Their fiscal years end in different months (December 31 and March 31), so the periods don't line up exactly.
Side by side
| First Solar | Microchip Technology | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest fiscal year | FY2025, Dec 31, 2025 | FY2026, Mar 31, 2026 |
| Revenue | $5.2B | $4.7B |
| Revenue growth | 24.1% | 7.1% |
| Revenue growth a year, last 5 years | 14.0% | −2.8% |
| Gross margin | 40.6% | 57.7% |
| Operating margin | 30.6% | 10.4% |
| Net margin | 29.3% | 4.9% |
| Free cash flow | $1.2B | $871M |
| Free cash flow margin | 22.8% | 18.5% |
| Return on capital | 22.7% | 3.5% |
| Net debt to EBITDA | −1.2x | 4.5x |
| Dividends and buybacks | $0M | $984M |
| Change in diluted share count | 0.0% | 1.5% |
| Last close | $168.15 | $75.90 |
| P/E at the last close | 10.4× | 111.6× |
| Insider trades, last 12 months | sold $43.4 million | sold $71.1 million |
| Piotroski F-score | 7 of 9 | 6 of 9 |
Amounts in each company's own currency, US$ unless marked (a foreign company may report in another), each company's latest fiscal year from its 10-K, or 20-F or 40-F for a foreign company. Growth rates compare with the year before; the five-year rate is the average a year. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending; return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business; P/E is the last close over the latest earnings per share. Banks are measured differently (return on equity, efficiency ratio), so some rows apply to one company only.
Ten years
Revenue
US$ billions, fiscal years
First SolarMicrochip Technology
Operating margin
Percent of revenue
First SolarMicrochip Technology
Free cash flow
US$ billions. Cash from operations minus capital expenditure.
First SolarMicrochip Technology
Source: the companies' Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR, and the last close. For information only, not investment advice: the figures describe results, not which company is the better investment. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with either company. Full figures on the First Solar and Microchip Technology pages.