** Shares of U.S. solar panel maker First Solar FSLR.O up 1.7% at $150.00 in extended trading

** Company reports higher fouth-quarter profit and forecasts higher current-year sales on higher demand

** Quarterly net income of $393 million, up about 13% from last year.

** Current-year sales forecast between $5.3 billion and $5.8 billion, with the midpoint about 32% higher than last year and also above analysts' estimate of $5.52 billion — LSEG

** Up to last close, shares down 16.3% YTD

(Reporting by Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru)

((Tanay.Dhumal@thomsonreuters.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanayDhumal))