Solar Photovoltaic Company Stocks Investing





Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Top Public Photovoltaic Companies; Manufacturers plus Installers / Integraters and Suppliers

In the world of solar photovoltaic energy companies, there are basically three main types of companies. Here's the breakdown:

A) The solar PV manufacturers

B) The integrators / installers and solar project developers / managers

C) The suppliers to the industry

Let's call the first group the Sell Side, as they seek to sell their solar PV modules and systems to the world, and the 2nd group the Buy Side, as these are among the customers of the photovoltaic solar power manufacturers, and the third group the Supply Side.


Photovoltaic Industry Sell Side - PV Manufacturers



First Solar Inc FSLR


Thin film solar pioneer and global market leader


Q-CELLS QCE

Germany-based solar cell manufacturer is the world's largest solar energy producer.


SunPower Corp SPWRA

San Jose company manufactures and develops and installs solar modules and complete photovoltaic electricity systems.



Suntech Power Hldgs STP


China-based solar power firm designs, develops, manufactures and markets a variety of photovoltaic solar energy cells and modules.


Energy Conversion Devices ENER

Longtime solar energy research firm has developed the competitive Uni-Solar thin film solar power technology and is building a second manufacturing plant.


JA Solar Holdings JASO

China-based manufacturer of high performance photovoltaic solar energy cells.


Yingli Green Energy Holding YGE

Fast growing Chinese solar cell manufacturer may be affected by China's slowdown, but with the ADR shares at just 5.88 (down from 41.50), it's a great time to look into this one.


Evergreen Solar ESLR

USA photovoltaic manufacturer facing some [problems but has $285 mil in cash and a strong order backlog. Also, check out ESLR's lawsuit against Lehman and Barclay's, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.


Solarfun Power Holdings SOLF

Here we go again: Chinese photovoltaic company trades at a PE of just 7.75, with the shares down more than 80% from the high above $40 to today's close of $6.80.


China Sunergy Co (ADR) CSUN

Emerging Chinese solar energy company with rising revenues; based in Nanjibg but exports to the world.



Canadian Solar Inc CSIQ


Another fast-growing Chinese solar photovoltaics system manufacturer, including products for solar bus stop lighting and solar car battery chargers. With the stock at 11.71 (down from 51.80) and a PE of 9.8, definitely worth further research.



Trina Solar Limited (ADR) TSL


Yet one more China solar photovoltaic energy manufacturer, sells its solar modules worldwide, including in Europe. Hit hard by the oil price fall and the liquidity cruch in capital markets, the ADR shares are at 13.95, down from 68.26, and trade at the unheard of PE of 6.59.


ARISE Technologies Corp APV

Ontario-based emerging solar energy company focusing on thin film solar.


Ascent Solar Tech ASTI

ASTI is a development stage company seeking to commercialize flexible photovoltaic modules utilizing technology developed by ITN Energy Systems (ITN).




Photovoltaic Industry Buy Side - Solar Project Developers

(I need more publicly-listed buy-side solar energy companies to follow; any suggestions from readers?)


Akeena Solar Inc. AKNS

California-based Akeena markets, designs and installs systems for residential and commercial customers.




Photovoltaic Industry Supply Side - Suppliers to PV companies



LDK Solar Co Ltd LDK

LDK supplies solar wafers to Q-CELLS and other photovoltaic manufacturers under longterm contracts that are generally take-or-pay; hugely successful firm with rapidly rising revenues.


GT Solar International SOLR

SOLR is a provider of manufacturing equipment and turnkey manufacturing solutions to the photovoltaic solar power industry.


ReneSola Ltd (ADR) SOL

SOL is a China-based supplier of solar wafers to major photovoltaic industry companies such as SolarFun, JA Solar and Suntech Power.


5N Plus Inc VNP

A Quebec-based refiner and recycler of metals, 5N supplies thin-film solar energy pioneer First Solar (FSLR) with the cadmium telluride, the key to its patents.


Spire Corporation SPIR

SPIR offers turnkey solutions for the solar industry, including manufacturing equipment and full turnkey lines for cell and module production and testing.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Record 1-Day Returns for Photovoltaic stocks; FSLR up 22.6% today

It was a matter of time before the fear and carnage turned to greed and glee, and the green stocks sector exploded upwards today, led by photovoltaic solar energy companies and geothermal power producers.

Photovoltics Gainers

Name Symbol Last Price Change Mkt Cap

Yingli Green Energy YGE 6.90 +1.53 (28.49%) 875.77M

Suntech Power STP 27.70 +5.80 (26.48%) 4.28B

Trina Solar (ADR)TSL 14.49 +2.77 (23.63%) 371.03M

Evergreen Solar ESLR 4.25 +0.81 (23.55%) 699.92M

First Solar FSLR 143.97 +26.52 (22.58%) 11.52B

SunPower Corp SPWRA 52.00 +8.99 (20.90%) 4.46B

Ascent Solar Tech ASTI 4.99 +0.85 (20.53%) 91.97M

Akeena Solar. AKNS 2.88 +0.48 (20.00%) 83.04M


Green Energy Movers

Name Symbol Last Price Change Mkt Cap


Ormat Tech ORA 31.82 +7.73 (32.09%) 1.44B


American Superconductor AMSC 16.23 +3.22 (24.75%) 699.07M


Energy Conversion Devices ENER 44.82 +8.82 (24.50%) 2.05B


Raser Technologies RZ 5.15 +0.52 (11.23%) 293.15M

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Top PV Energy Stocks; Investing in best photovoltaic solar power stocks

A lot of investors are confused by the downside volatility in recent weeks and green energy stock holders have reason to be doubly concerned, for their shares have taken a hit whether the oil price or the stock market is down; this means recent months have seen tremendous erosion in the market capitalization of major publicly-listed photovoltiac solar energy companies.

Here are some significant companies in the global photovoltaics industry, including purer plays, mixed plays and diversified investments.

Pure PV Plays - photovoltaic solar energy companies


The most exciting company in the thin film photovoltaic solar energy industry, at 117.45 (down from an ultra-exuberant 317) longterm investors get an opportunity to own a global solar power pioneer at a multiple of just 42.3 times this year's earnings, and less than 20x next year's forecasted earnings, though the market cap is US$9.4 billion. A global economic downturn may also make it easier for FSLR to lock up longer term tellurium supplies at a reasonable cost, ensuring increased profitability for years into the future. Some call FSLR the next Google, and it has a tendency to explode upwards when it makes a move, occasionally rising 30% to 40% in one weeek.



At 33.9 euros, the market cap is about 3.56 billion euros; the shares are off from a high of 102.85. For the world's largest photovoltaic solar energy manufacturer, the valuation seems reasonable enough and institutional and green investors will be stepping into this.



Closing Friday at 21.90, down from 90, the stock trades at an attractive P/E of 16.6. The market capitalization is US3.38 billion.



At 18.14 euros, the shares are off substantially from a year high of 53.19, this fast growing photovoltaic solar energy company offers a PE of about 18 and a market cap of 2.1 billion euros.



China-based manufacturer of silicon wafers provides solar cells to many leading international photovoltaic companies. With a customer list like this, the stock begs research. At 19.06 (down from 75.65), LDK trades at just 7.5 times earnings, with a market cap of only US$2 billion.



This China-based photovoltaic solar power producer has rapidly growing revenues in a market where clean air and water are taking increasing priority. At 6.43 (down from 27), all the air seems to be out of this one; the market capitalization is down to US$1.1 billion. A high risk high potential reward for longterm growth investors. Medium risk investors should look for green energy funds with quality photovoltaic holdings such as the pv stocks mentioned in this PV Intell post. JA Solar could be a household name within a few years ...



At 5.37, up 0.21 on the day but off hugely from a year high of 41.50, YGE exhibits consistently strong revenue growth and is a rising star in both China and abroad. Market cap is about US$682 million.



More Diversified PV Plays - some leverage to solar photovoltaic sales



AMAT at 12.70 yields 1.89% and trades at a PE of 15.29, with a market cap of US$17 billion. The solar photovoltaic sales and potential are partially buried in this successful USA high tech company, but may be spun out to increase value at some future date. AMAT doesn't have the photovoltaic panel sales levels of Sharp and SANYO, but its thin-film solar technology utilized in its SunFab solar power line position AMAT as a serious contender, particularly in the area of building-integrated solar electricity technology.



Diversified Japanese electronics manufacturer makes money from flat panel TVs and from photovoltaic solar panels. At 7.56, down from 19.70, the company is valued at just over $8.3 billion, with a PE of <>



Successful Japan-based electronics firm is also a solar photovoltaic industry heavyweight. At 7.25 the shares are just over half the year high of 14, with a market cap of just US$2.7 billion. The forward PE is listed on Google Finance as 67.92 versus this year's PE of just 15.93, so there must be revenue and/or margin concerns on the horizon.



Diversified Investments incl photovoltaic industry


Diversified electronics and maufacturing company is also a market leader in solar energy, wind power, water purification and other high growth industries. At 21.50 the shares trade at 10x earnings, yield 5.77%, with a mkt cap of US$225.7 billion.



Diversified Japanese electronics, telecommunications, information processing and environmental equipment manufacturer is the world's 5th largest photovoltaic solar power producer (after Q-Cells, Sharp, SunTech and First Solar). With the shares at 55.00, down from 100.78, they now yield 1.95% and trade at a PE of just 10.7, with a market cap of US$10.4 billion.


Powershares WilderHill Clean Energy (PBW) ETF - Green Stocks Exchange Traded Fund, tracks WilderHill Clean Energy Index. At 12.38 the shares are off from a high of 38.10.


Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund A (CGAEX)

CGAEX invests in USA and global companies whose main business is alternative energy or are involved in the green power industry. At 8.33, the fund holds Vestas, FSLR, Gamesa and other global clean energy industry leaders.




More renewable power investing links:










Research Information on Publicly-listed Photovoltaic Solar Power Companies Stocks

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