Stock Market Watch

First Solar Down after Lowering Outlook

by ·


Shares of First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) are up over 9% in morning trade after the company lowered its full year 2012 sales outlook below already reduced estimates. The company said it was reducing net sales from $3.7-$4.0 billion to $3.5-$3.8 billion. The company reiterated its EPS outlook for 2012 of $3.75 to $4.25 per share.

Fourth quarter 2011 net sales were $660 million, a decrease of $345 million from the third quarter of 2011. Relative to the fourth quarter of 2010, quarterly net sales increased $50 million from $610 million. Net sales for 2011 were $2.8 billion, up about 8% from fiscal year 2010.

Fourth quarter net loss per fully diluted share was $4.78, compared to a net income per fully diluted share of $2.25 in the third quarter of 2011 and $1.80 in the fourth quarter of 2010. The fourth quarter of 2011 was impacted by pre-tax charges of $393 million. Adjusted net income per fully diluted share in the fourth quarter 2011 was $1.26.


“First Solar’s performance in the quarter was impacted by an aggressive competitive environment, an uncertain regulatory environment, warranty-related charges, and restructuring costs incurred to help position our business for the future,” said Mike Ahearn, Chairman and interim Chief Executive Officer of First Solar. “Despite these headwinds, we continue to make strides reducing manufacturing costs, increasing module efficiency, and successfully building out our captive project pipeline. These improvements, combined with our recent restructuring and strategic repositioning, enhance our competitive position in a very challenging environment.”

“The fourth quarter was a washout,” Hari Chandra Polavarapu, an analyst at Auriga USA LLC in New York, said today in a note to clients. He has a “buy” rating on the stock. “First Solar is walking away from below-cost module competition from China even as it makes forays into non-subsidized markets that are yet to take hold.”

More Posts by this author

edliston
Post Written By: Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing in his yacht.


Tags:

Ed Liston

Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications. He is widely quoted in various financial publications on the Internet. When Ed is not writing about stocks, investing in stocks, talking about stocks, or otherwise doing something stock related, he likes to go sailing and fishing.

You may also like...