First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) has been leading the solar industry for more than a decade but it's in a tough strategic position at the moment as the industry shifts into a new growth phase. The company's panels aren't as efficient as rivals and massive project developments that have driven earnings over the past few years are now few and far between.
The company's systems backlog has fallen from $9.4 billion�to end 2011 to $8.0 billion after Q1 2013, which isn't a good sign because the company is almost 100% reliant on systems. The high-margin systems that come with projects signed years ago will also likely evaporate as First Solar competes on cost per watt against SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) , Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) , and others. But the biggest challenge is the company's panels. �
Falling behind where the growth is
First Solar's product is not as efficient as competitors and now it doesn't have the cost advantage it once had. In fact, many Chinese producers are selling panels for less than the $0.69 per watt First Solar is now producing its panels for. We can debate all day how important efficiency is in solar panels, but when cost per watt is the same a buyer will go with the more efficient panel every time.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Invest In 2015: 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]
Who wins?
It's important to remember that the only change from two months ago is that Chinese panels will have a higher price. So, companies such as LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK ) , who were trying to compete on price alone, will likely be left in the dust. Investors should focus on higher-quality manufacturers like Yingli Green Energy, Trina Solar, and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) as potential winners from the negotiated solar deal.
10 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 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]
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.
10 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)
Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Peabody Energy� (NYSE: BTU ) realizes 25% of its revenues from Asia (up from 18% the year before) while earlier this year�Consol Energy completed the largest shipment ever of metallurgical coal to China.
- [By Justin Loiseau]
Although China and India produce plenty of their own black gold, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU ) makes a pretty penny off of domestic production and coal exports to those two countries. The company is the leading exporter to China and India from its U.S. and Australian operations, and is setting itself up for significant growth opportunities.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
With little in the way of local news to move the market today, US stocks are taking their cues from overseas — and they don’t like what they see, leaving�Boeing (BA), Nike (NKE), Caterpillar (CAT), United States Steel (X) and Peabody Energy (BTU) in the red.
- [By James Brumley]
On the surface, the news that the Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on carbon dioxide emissions seems like the beginning of the end for coal stocks like Peabody Energy (BTU), Walter Energy (WLT) and Arch Coal (ACI).
10 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 John Udovich]
Small cap solar stock Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ: CSIQ) rose another 13.35% yesterday and is up 841.2% since the start of the year, soundly beating�the performance of�solar ETFs�Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSEARCA: TAN) and Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (NYSEARCA: KWT). But why has this solar stock gone parabolic and what are (if any) potential dark clouds that investors need to be aware of?
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) was down, falling 12.20 percent to $22.23 after the company reported weaker-than-expected Q1 earnings and issued a weak forecast.
10 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: EMCORE Corporation(EMKR)
EMCORE Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optics, satellite, and solar power markets. The company operates in two segments, Fiber Optics and Photovoltaics. The Fiber Optics segment offers broadband products, including cable television, fiber-to-the-premises, satellite communication, video transport, and defense and homeland security products; and digital products comprising telecom optical, enterprise, laser/photodetector component, parallel optical transceiver and cable, and fiber channel transceiver products. This segment?s products enable information that is encoded on light signals to be transmitted, routed, and received in communication systems and networks. The Photovoltaics segment provides gallium arsenide (GaAs) multi-junction solar cells, covered interconnected cells, and solar panels for satellite applications; and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) power systems for commercial and utility scale solar applications, as well as GaAs solar cells and integrated CPV components for use in other solar power concentrator systems. The company markets its products through its direct sales force, external sales representatives and distributors, and application engineers worldwide. EMCORE Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq:EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optic and solar power markets, reported that it is ramping production and shipping the Opticomm-EMCORE NEXTGEN OTP-1DVI2A1SU insert cards for the Optiva platform.
10 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)
JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Briefly in the news
VeriFone (NYSE: PAY ) shares tumbled 21% on Thursday, after the transactions enabler missed Wall Street's profit expectations and issued disappointing guidance. VeriFone wasn't very fun. TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO ) can't catch a break. The DVR pioneer was on the receiving end of a $490 million settlement, but the stock still took a hit because it was less than the market was expecting. Go figure. TiVo's intellectual capital alone has been enough to be awarded $1.6 billion in damages in recent years, but the company's enterprise value is a mere $1 billion. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) is not the second coming of Webvan, but it is expanding its AmazonFresh grocery delivery service to Los Angeles. It's been testing the service fir years in select neighborhoods in its home turf of Seattle. JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS ) moved higher on Friday after reporting a 36% surge in shipments. Solar energy was out of favor last year, but some players are starting to show signs of brightening.
And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week. - [By Eric Volkman]
JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS ) suffered a widened quarterly loss, as revealed in the release of its fiscal Q4 and 2012 results. For the quarter, revenue for the China-based solar specialist was the equivalent of $187 million, down from $192 million in the same period the previous year. Net loss widened over that time span, to $122 million, or $1.38 per share, from Q4 2011's red figure of $59 million, $0.65.
10 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In 2014: Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited(YGE)
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and installation of photovoltaic (PV) products in the People?s Republic of China and internationally. The company offers PV cells, PV modules, and integrated PV systems, as well as polysilicon ingots, blocks, and wafers. It sells its PV modules to distributors, wholesalers, power plant developers and operators, and PV system integrators in Germany, the United States, Italy, China, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Japan under the Yingli and Yingli Solar brand names. The company also offers its integrated PV systems directly to end-users or to contractors for use in the electricity projects, as well as to mobile communications companies in the People's Republic of China. Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Baoding, the People? s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Canadian Solar has been on a tear, and the company�� market value is a fairly modest $587 million. But that�� most of the Chinese solar players. Only Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE) have higher market caps.
- [By Travis Hoium]
The other earnings report was from Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) , which reported sales of $613.0 million but lost $128.2 million in the quarter. Yingli is seeing strong demand for panels, but it's not generating the margins needed to overcome $2.4 billion in debt. If Yingli can't improve its balance sheet enough to be able to invest in the next generation of equipment it risks failure, so look to see if margins improve enough to make a profit as we move through 2014.
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