Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) reported second-quarter 2013 results before markets opened on Tuesday. The Chinese solar panel maker reported a diluted earnings per American Depositary Share (ADS) loss of $0.47 on revenue of $440.7 million. In the same period a year ago, Trina Solar reported a per ADS loss of $0.90 on revenue of $346.05 million. Second-quarter results compare to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimates for an EPS loss of $0.57 and $374.89 million in revenue. One ADS is equal to 50 ordinary shares.
Sequentially, revenues improved nearly 70% and module shipments were up about 65%. Operating margins remained negative, improving from a negative 15.4% in the first quarter to a negative 5.4% in the second quarter.
For the third quarter, Trina Solar expects module shipments in the range of 650 to 680 megawatts, compared with shipments of 647 megawatts in the second quarter. For the full-year, the company raised its forecast for shipments from a range of 2,000 to 2,100 megawatts to 2,300 to 2,400 megawatts.
Top 10 Construction Companies To Own For 2015: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)
First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Joel South, Taylor Muckerman, and Tyler Crowe]
The prospects of solar power have been growing day by day, so some are wondering when the technology -- and the industry -- will truly come into their own. According to Dr. Ernest Moniz, the new Department of Energy secretary, that time frame is "underestimated," meaning that it should come sooner than many expect. There are several indicators that are pointing to that, as well. As several Chinese solar companies are hitting the wall because of a panel-supply glut, some of the weaker companies are on their way out. This is clearing the way for the stronger candidates to get pricing on panels again. First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) recently announced that it could not take orders for new panels until after the third quarter, because all panels to be built until then are contracted out.�
- [By Seth Jayson]
First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR ) is expected to report Q1 earnings around May 2. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:
The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict First Solar's revenues will grow 46.1% and EPS will turn positive - [By Chad Fraser]
Correspondingly, many solar stocks soared in 2013; the Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (NYSE: KWT), a reasonable proxy for the industry, surged 103.5 percent on the year, far eclipsing the S&P 500�� 31.8 percent climb.
That outperformance has continued into 2014, with the ETF tacking on a 19.9 percent gain year-to-date, compared to 6.8 percent for the S&P 500.
The rebound comes after a tough few years for the solar industry. First, the financial crisis deterred customers and drove down sales. Then governments cut spending to rein in their deficits��ncluding on solar power subsidies. This all came against a glut of cheap panels��ainly from Chinese manufacturers��hat lowered panel prices and profit margins.
Today, solar stocks continue to be volatile, and the industry is still subject to unpredictable swings in supply and demand, as well as constantly shifting political winds.
It�� also dealing with strong competition from natural gas, as higher U.S. production has put downward pressure on prices. Last year in the U.S., for example, gas accounted for just over 50% of new utility-scale generating capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration, with solar accounting for 22%��hough that was up from just 6% in 2012.
However, there are signs that solar is making progress on this front. For example, the REN21 report noted that solar power is now competitive with fossil fuels without subsidies in at least 19 markets in 15 countries.
A Large-Scale Solar Developer to Watch
One solar stock that currently carries a buy rating in The Energy Strategist�� Growth Portfolio is First Solar (NasdaqGS: FSLR), which focuses on large, utility-scale solar projects.
First Solar started up as a pure photovoltaic module maker in 1999 but in 2011 began shifting toward building, financing, maintaining and selling solar facilities. The company benefits from its vertically integrated structure, because - [By Wall Street Sector Selector]
First Solar stock (FSLR) triggered a solar flare last week on the Nasdaq as circuit breakers were triggered on Tuesday, April 9.
The event was caused by a massive amount of short-covering in First Solar stock after the company issued impressive 2013 guidance, with full-year earnings expected between $4.00 and $4.50 a share on sales of between $3.8 billion and $4 billion. Analysts had been expecting to see earnings guidance of $3.51 a share in 2013 on sales of approximately $3.1 billion. Trading in First Solar stock was halted on the Nasdaq exchange during Tuesday's session, in accordance with the guidelines on triggered circuit breakers.
Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)
Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the move: Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) is up 31.5% at $5.13 on the announcement that Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) will acquire the Finnish firm�� mobile phone business for $7.2 billion. Chinese solar energy stocks are getting a boost again today, with Hanwha SolarOne Co. (NASDAQ: HSOL) up more than 15.9% and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) up 14.9%.
- [By Travis Hoium]
News and notes
Hanwha SolarOne (NASDAQ: HSOL ) announced another $100 million in financing this week, this time a term loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea. �
Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: Canadian Solar Inc.(CSIQ)
Canadian Solar Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of solar power products in Canada and internationally. The company offers solar cell and solar module products that convert sunlight into electricity for various uses. Its products include a range of standard solar modules for use in a range of residential, commercial, and industrial solar power generation systems. The company also designs and produces specialty solar modules and products consisting of customized modules that its customers incorporate into their products, such as solar-powered bus stop lighting; and specialty products, such as portable solar home systems and solar-powered car battery chargers. In addition, it sells solar system kits, a package consisting of solar modules produced by it and third party supplied components, such as inverters, racking system, and other accessories, as well as implements solar power development projects. The company sells its products under the Canad ian Solar brand name. Canadian Solar Inc. offers its standard solar modules through a direct sales force and sales agents primarily to distributors, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturer customers, as well as to solar projects; and specialty solar modules and products to the automotive, telecommunications, and light-emitting diode lighting sectors. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Kitchener, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James Brumley]
Relative to its size, Canadian Solar (CSIQ) is the most overlooked of these solar stocks.
Depending on the year in question, the company ranks anywhere from being in the top five to the top three suppliers in the world. And it supplies the whole world, with big, equitable demand from the United States, China, and Japan … three nations with lots of their own solar panel manufacturers, and a bent for protectionism. Canadian Solar simply muscles its way into key markets, generating sales growth of 27% in 2013.
- [By Wall Street Strategies]
Naturally the news is a big positive for the industry, with Chinese solar names like Yingli (YGE), Trina (TSL), Canadian Solar (CSIQ) -- which is actually Chinese despite its name -- JinkoSolar (JKS), JA Solar (JASO), and LDK Solar (LDK) each up more than 10% at midday. The Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN), which tracks several global solar companies, was up 8%, breaking to a new 52-week high.
Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: LDK Solar Co. Ltd.(LDK)
LDK Solar Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects. It offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules. The company also provides wafer processing services to monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cell and module manufacturers; and sells silicon materials, such as ingots and polysilicon scraps. In addition, it engages in the production and sale of solar cells and modules to developers, distributors, and system integrators; and design and development of solar power projects in Europe, the United States, and China, as well as provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. LDK Solar Co., Ltd. operates in Europe, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Xinyu City, t he People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: After a two-day run-up in solar stocks, the party ended quickly, and every stock in the industry is dropping like a rock. Suntech Power (NYSE: STP ) led the declines by falling 23%, and LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK ) , Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) , and JA Solar (NASDAQ: JASO ) all dropped at least 15%.
Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd.(JASO)
JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of photovoltaic solar cells and solar products, which convert sunlight into electricity in the People's Republic of China. The company?s principal products include monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells, as well as various solar modules. It also provides silicon wafer and solar cell processing services. The company sells its products primarily under the JA Solar brand name, as well as produces equipment for original equipment manufacturing customers under their brand names. It sells its solar cell and module products primarily to module manufacturers, system integrators, project developers, and distributors in the Germany, Italy, the United States, Hong Kong, Spain, India, the Czech Republic, France, and South Korea. The company has strategic partnerships with various solar power companies, such as BP Solar, Solar-Fabrik, and MEMC/SunEdison. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wall Street Strategies]
Naturally the news is a big positive for the industry, with Chinese solar names like Yingli (YGE), Trina (TSL), Canadian Solar (CSIQ) -- which is actually Chinese despite its name -- JinkoSolar (JKS), JA Solar (JASO), and LDK Solar (LDK) each up more than 10% at midday. The Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN), which tracks several global solar companies, was up 8%, breaking to a new 52-week high.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Notable earnings reports currently on tap for next week: Qihu 360 Technology Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: QIHU), Avago Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: AVGO), LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF), Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY), Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB), JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD), and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL).
Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: Real Goods Solar Inc.(RSOL)
Real Goods Solar, Inc. operates as a residential and commercial solar energy integrator primarily in California and Colorado. The company provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. It offers various turnkey solar energy services, including design, procurement, permitting, build-out, grid connection, financing referrals, and warranty and customer satisfaction services. The company installs residential and small commercial systems that range between 3 kilowatts and 1 megawatt output. It also engages in the retail sale of renewable energy products. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in Louisville, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
My enthusiasm regarding Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL) and Westinghouse Solar Inc. (OTCMKTS:WEST) hasn't exactly been a veiled secret. Though I've favored one over the other at various times since the entire solar panel industry went back into high gear in the middle of the second quarter, I've been a fan of both RSOL as well as WEST for a while. The trick has been finding the right entry spot for both of these volatile stocks.
- [By John Udovich]
Small cap solar stock Andalay Solar Inc (OTCMKTS: WEST) has largely cratered for investors�verses solar stock peers Real Goods Solar, Inc (NASDAQ: RSOL) and SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ: SCTY), but is the company finally turning itself around after a failed deal to be acquired?
- [By Bryan Murphy]
Last Thursday when I suggested American Community (OTCMKTS:ACYD) was a stock that should be shed immediately, and replaced with a position in Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL), I didn't win a lot of friends. After all, ACYD was the market's newest darling, in the middle of a red-hot runup, while RSOL was "just another solar name" that happened to be lucky enough to stumble its way above a key support line. Well, I hate to be the one to day I told you so, but, I told you so. American Community shares are down 35% since then, while Real Goods Solar shares are up 36% in the meantime. Both stocks seem pretty well entrenched in their current trends too.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
If you were lucky enough to be in an American Community (OTCMKTS:ACYD) position anytime before October 8th, then congratulations - you're up big. Now get out. Instead, use freed-up that capital to take on a position in Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL), which looks like it's at the beginning of a good-sized rally.
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