We are working on an analysis of First Solar for our clients, and have not finished our work, but we have done enough research to be able to say that Bill Alpert’s negative article in Barron’s last weekend raised red flags for all the wrong reasons (subscription required for access to the Barron’s article).
Alpert charges [...]

Earnings season has brought renewed optimism to the solar sector.  Is it warranted?  As with SunPower’s (SPWRA) Q2 results, we’ll keep with our recent theme and find that digging into German-based SolarWorld AG’s (SRWRF.PK) second quarter, reveals that results and guidance were not as upbeat as the press portrayed them and as the market reactions [...]

SunPower Corporation (SPWRA), the San Jose-based solar cell producer that claims the most efficient cells on the market, and the leading provider of California commercial and residential solar systems, cut its guidance for the second half of 2009.  As we look at the numbers, SPWRA widened the range of uncertainty on its earnings conference call [...]