On April 15 -- Tax Day -- millions of Americans got bad news from their tax software programs, about money they'd have to pay the IRS. That same day, lenders to Chinese integrated solar power company LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK ) got even worse news -- the company was running out of cash and would default on a scheduled debt payment, and they would need to reschedule their payments if they hoped to get anything back at all.
So -- a real double-whammy of a day for any U.S. taxpayers who also happened to own LDK debt. But this wasn't an isolated incident, and it won't be the last debt default for China's solar companies. Who else is defaulting, and who's at risk of doing so soon?�
Click to the following video and find out, as Fool contributor Rich Smith explains.
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Hot Blue Chip Companies To Invest In 2015: 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 Travis Hoium]
Shipment and margin trends aren't usually isolated to one Chinese solar manufacturer so it's easy to assume that other companies will see disappointing numbers in the first quarter. The first two to watch are Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) and Canadian Solar� (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) , who round out the top three Chinese solar module suppliers with Trina. All three have high debt, low margins, and massive losses. �
- [By Rich Duprey]
Solar power shop Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) has landed the biggest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract in its history, for a 130-megawatt utility-scale solar power plant being built�in conjunction with�Grand Renewable Solar, a project�developed by�Samsung Renewable Energy, the company announced today.
- [By Paul Ausick]
We have tracked the short interest in the following North American Solar companies as of September 13: Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ), First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR), GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTAT), SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR).
- [By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: Macy�� Inc. (NYSE: M) is up 9.4% at $50.70 after clearing a low bar. Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is up 13.8% at $32.12 on solid earnings and rising margins. Health Management Associates Inc. (NYSE: HMA) is up 5.6% at $13.23. NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is down 8.8% at $13.05 after failing to calm fears arising from short seller attack.
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 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]
There will be winners, though. Shares of polysilicon maker Renewable Energy fell 7% in trading immediately after the announcement because the company will likely see either lower prices or lower demand. But shares of GCL Poly, who manufactures in China and is the biggest polysilicon maker in the world, jumped 4% on Friday after the news was announced.�Renesola� (NYSE: SOL ) and LDK Solar� (NYSE: LDK ) also have lots of unused polysilicon capacity that will likely experience more demand because of the move. The question is if they have sufficient quality to supply the industry.
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 2014: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc.(ASTI)
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a development stage company, focuses on commercializing flexible photovoltaic (PV) modules using its proprietary technology. The company intends to manufacture roll-format PV modules that use copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) on a plastic substrate. Its proprietary manufacturing process deposits multiple layers of materials, including a thin-film of CIGS semiconductor material on a plastic substrate and laser patterns the layers to create interconnected PV cells or PV modules through monolithic integration process. The company would serve the building applied photovoltaic (BAPV) and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) market, as well as specialty markets, such as defense, portable power, transportation, electronic integrated photovoltaic, and space and near-space. It has a strategic relationship with Norsk Hydro Produksjon AS to access customers in the BIPV/BAPV markets worldwide. Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. was founded in 200 5 and is based in Thornton, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Solar stocks have not exactly given buy and hold investors a smooth ride, but small cap�GT Advanced Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: GTAT) could be an interesting materials play on the solar sector���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with potential peers like Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: ASTI) and STR Holdings, Inc (NYSE: STRI) plus solar ETF Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSEARCA: TAN). I should mention that just last week, we added GT Advanced Technologies to our�SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio for both�fundamentals and technical reasons and we are already up almost 9%.
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 2014: 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 Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]
First Solar Inc.(FSLR) said Tuesday that first-quarter earnings jumped 89% from a year earlier, as the solar-products maker reported higher net sales. Shares rose 1.5% to $68.45 premarket.
- [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 Travis Hoium]
Earnings and First Solar's guidance
First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) was the biggest newsmaker this week when it met with investors to give guidance and a technology roadmap for the future. I took a detailed look at the presentations here, but there are a few takeaways for the whole industry.
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 2014: Renesola Ltd.(SOL)
ReneSola Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar wafers and solar power products. It offers virgin polysilicons, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic cells and modules. The company also provides cell and module processing services. Its products are used in a range of residential, commercial, industrial, and other solar power generation systems. The company sells its solar wafers primarily to solar cell and module manufacturers. It principally operates in Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, and the United States. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Jiashan, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of solar manufacturer ReneSola (NYSE: SOL ) jumped as much as 26% today after the company increased guidance.
So what: Management said that second-quarter shipments would be 760 MW-770 MW, well above the previous expectation of 700 MW-720 MW. Gross margin is also expected to be 5%-6%, above the 3%-5% previously expected. �
- [By John Kell var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]
ReneSola Ltd.(SOL) said it is being probed as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s antidumping investigation of solar products imports. The Chinese solar-products company said it has temporarily stopped shipping products to the U.S. that fall within the scope of the probe and it intends to fully cooperate with the investigation proceedings. Shares dropped 3.6% to $3.78 premarket.
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 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 Travis Hoium]
Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) was also the beneficiary of a $165 million loan agreement with the China Development Bank, which is owned by the Chinese government. This includes a one-year, $110 million loan and a three-year, $55 million loan for working capital needs. Yingli is one of the most indebted companies in the industry, but the government doesn't look like it is willing to let it fail. �
Top 10 Solar Companies To Buy For 2014: DAQQ New Energy Corp.(DQ)
Daqo New Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells polysilicon in China. The company sells its polysilicon to photovoltaic product manufacturers for use in the processing of ingots, wafers, cells and modules for solar power solutions. It also produces and sells mono-crystalline and multi-crystalline modules to photovoltaic system integrators and distributors in China and internationally under its Daqo brand. The company was formerly known as Mega Stand International Limited and changed its name to Daqo New Energy Corp. in August 2009. Daqo New Energy Corp. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered Wanzhou, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ) shares gained 12.78% to $33.58 on quarterly results.
SINA (NASDAQ: SINA) rose 7.26% to $51.29 after the company reported upbeat quarterly results.
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