If you're looking for sunny guidance, solar's not the place to look. Here are some of the lowlights:
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JA Solar
(NASDAQ:JASO) withdrew revenue and production guidance, saying it was likely to miss the numbers it issued in February (which had been revised lower). -
Suntech Power
(NYSE:STP) lowered its full-year shipment guidance to fall in the 600- to 700-megawatt range. The company decided not to provide revenue or gross margin guidance. - Applied Materials gave guidance that its solar segment's revenue would fall at least 30% from the second quarter.
Joining the rainy parade late last week was Yingli Green Energy
As for the first quarter, revenue dropped 43% from the previous quarter, which puts Yingli almost on par with SunPower's
So the first quarter stank, and the company's reducing expectations for the rest of the year. Why, then, are shares soaring today?
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With polysilicon and wafer prices plunging, crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV is starting to look a whole lot more competitive with less efficient thin-film modules. One recent indication was Yingli's utility-scale solar supply deal with AES. Thin film and solar thermal had been dominating in this field.
Today, FBR Group downgraded thin-film king First Solar
While project financing may continue to plague the industry as a whole for some time, c-Si players like Yingli and Trina Solar