Goldman Sachs analyst Brian Lee upgraded Canadian Solar (CSIQ) to Buy and raised his price target for the shares to $19 from $14. Solar stocks underperformed in 2018 as tariffs, China policy and oversupply drove a cyclical correction, Lee tells investors in a research note on the sector. However, heading into 2019, the analyst believes "green shoots are emerging." He says demand is improving, selling prices are stabilizing, and China is likely a positive catalyst in terms of policy. As such, Lee raised his Solar coverage view to Neutral and upgraded First Solar (FSLR) and Canadian Solar to Buy. He thinks Canadian Solar 's project momentum continues to grow and that the shares are "cheap."

Wells Fargo notes that a group of seven domestic solar product makers, including First Solar (FSLR), filed a petition to levy anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar imports from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, looking for duties ranging from 70.4% to 271.5%. The firm, which included the "important reminder" that "this is just a petition," says the uncertainty created by the petition is "incrementally positive" for First Solar and negative for Canadian Solar (CSIQ), Array Technologies (ARRY) and Nextracker (NXT).