NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Renewable energy has been one of the most complicated market segments in which to invest for many years. The reason for this is perhaps counter-intuitive but can be understood.
In general terms, when the price of oil goes up it creates the sentiment that the world needs more renewable energy sources and infrastructure to offset higher oil or natural gas costs and so prices for wind and solar stocks goes up.
When the price of oil goes down, it creates the perception that there is less need for renewable energy and so the price for wind and solar stocks goes down.
The price of crude oil peaked in the summer of 2008 at $147. Despite being up 15% year to date, it is still down almost one third since that 2008 peak. Since the peak in crude, the Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN) is down 87% and the First Trust ISE Global Wind Energy Index Fund (FAN) is down 63%. Against the backdrop of crude oil's rally this year, however, TAN is up 92% and FAN is up 44%. The performance dispersion between the two funds has to do with their respective constituencies. TAN is 80% technology stocks and 20% industrial stocks and all of the holdings are pure solar plays. FAN allocates 57% to utilities and some other companies like General Electric (GE) that might be big players in the industry but for whom the industry barely moves the needle. Next Era Energy (NEE) is the old Florida Power & Light, but is heavily involved with transmitting wind power to its customers. NEE is a legitimate holding in the fund but does not capture the production of turbines like Danish company Vestas Wind -- FAN's second largest holding -- does. For five years, Vestas is down 80% but is up 289% year to date while NEE is up 41% for five years and 14% in 2013. Renewable energy is evolving to become more important to business. Both Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) are investing into the space. Google just announced that it bought 240 megawatts from a wind farm near Amarillo, Texas, to help power its data center in Oklahoma starting in 2014. Apple has bought a third-party renewable energy and built a solar farm, both in North Carolina, to help power its data center in that state.
Best Medical Stocks For 2016: 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 Sean Williams]
The big gainer of the day was domestic solar-panel producer First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) which skyrocketed -- and I do mean skyrocketed -- 45.5% after announcing its 2013 fiscal guidance and providing a rough outlook through 2015. For 2013, First Solar is forecasting revenue of $3.8 billion to $4 billion on EPS of $4 to $4.50, which is well ahead of the $3.17 billion and $3.60 consensus on the Street. First Solar's 2014 forecast of $2.50 to $4 in EPS and a midpoint of $3.75 billion in revenue was in line with to slightly above expectations. Finally, its 2015 projections of $4 to $6 in EPS on $4.2 billion to $4.8 billion in revenue blew away current estimates calling for $3.37 in EPS and $3.7 billion in revenue. Clearly, the role reversal away from low-cost Chinese manufacturers to higher-efficiency, lower-debt domestic manufacturers is well under way.
- [By Aaron Levitt]
The ETF tracks 82 domestic energy firms across all sub-sectors of the industry.�This provides exposure to the E&P players, refiners, midstream and oil service stocks. There are even a few alternative energy names — such as First Solar (FSLR) — as well. The fund also provides exposure to faster growing small- and mid-cap players. That gives investors an opportunity to play the current low price situation (the refiners will have juicer margins) to the high (the producers will be better).
- [By David Dittman]
Answer: First Solar Inc (NSDQ: FSLR) is definitely on our radar. It makes absolute sense to include in the Utility Technology section of the UF How They Rate table.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: 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%.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: 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 Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Chinese stocks were getting dumped today following the Shanghai Composite's 5.3% plunge last night. Among those feeling the pain were YY (NASDAQ: YY ) , Dangdang (NYSE: DANG ) , Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL ) , Giant Interactive (NYSE: GA ) , and LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK ) , all of which were down by 10% or more at one point today.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: EMCORE Corporation(EMKR)
EMCORE Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optics, satellite, and solar power markets. The company operates in two segments, Fiber Optics and Photovoltaics. The Fiber Optics segment offers broadband products, including cable television, fiber-to-the-premises, satellite communication, video transport, and defense and homeland security products; and digital products comprising telecom optical, enterprise, laser/photodetector component, parallel optical transceiver and cable, and fiber channel transceiver products. This segment?s products enable information that is encoded on light signals to be transmitted, routed, and received in communication systems and networks. The Photovoltaics segment provides gallium arsenide (GaAs) multi-junction solar cells, covered interconnected cells, and solar panels for satellite applications; and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) power systems for commercial and utility scale solar applications, as well as GaAs solar cells and integrated CPV components for use in other solar power concentrator systems. The company markets its products through its direct sales force, external sales representatives and distributors, and application engineers worldwide. EMCORE Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
EMCORE (EMKR), together with its subsidiaries, provides compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optics, satellite, and solar power markets. This stock closed up 1% to $4.09 in Tuesday's trading session.
Tuesday's Range: $4.00-$4.14
52-Week Range: $3.50-$5.62
Tuesday's Volume: 187,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 103,744From a technical perspective, EMKR trended modestly higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $4.03 with above-average volume. This stock has been making higher lows over the last three months each time it has pulled back, which is a bullish technical sign. This spike to the upside on Tuesday is starting to push shares of EMKR within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if EMRK manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.16 to $4.20 and then above $4.22 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EMKR as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $3.90 to $3.86 or above more support at $3.78 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 103,744 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then EMKR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.53 to its 200-day moving average of $4.65, or even $5 to $5.30.
- [By CRWE]
EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq:EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optic and solar power markets, reported that it is ramping production and shipping the Opticomm-EMCORE NEXTGEN OTP-1DVI2A1SU insert cards for the Optiva platform.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: 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]
Don't look now but SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) has become the best-performing stock in the solar industry. Over the past year, it's been better than fellow U.S.-based companies First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) and SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY ) , and far better than most Chinese manufacturers. Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) and Trina Solar lag well behind even after recent pops higher; only Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) can come close to SunPower's return (and I'll get into the reason for that below).
- [By Jason Shubnell]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Technology stocks gained Friday, with Parametric Sound (NASDAQ: PAMT) leading advancers after the company provided post merger update and outlook. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from 21Vianet Group (NASDAQ: VNET), BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY), Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ), and Veeco Instruments (NASDAQ: VECO).
In trading on Friday, utilities shares rose by just 0.06 percent. Among the sector stocks, Exterran Partners LP (NASDAQ: EXLP) was down more than 4.8 percent, while PG&E (NYSE: PCG) tumbled around 3.75 percent.
Top Headline
BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY) posted a narrower-than-expected fourth-quarter loss.
BlackBerry posted a quarterly net loss of $423 million, or $0.80 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $98 million, or $0.19 per share. Its loss from continuing operations came in at $423 million, or $0.80 per share, compared to a year-ago profit of $94 million, or $0.18 per share. BlackBerry�� adjusted loss from continuing operations came in at $0.08 per share.
Its revenue slipped 64% to $976 million. However, analysts were estimating a loss of $0.56 per share on revenue of $1.17 billion. BlackBerry sold around 3.4 million smartphones in the quarter.
Equities Trading UP
Finish Line (NASDAQ: FINL) shares shot up 3.64 percent to $27.44 after the company posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. - [By Monica Gerson]
Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) dropped 7.19% to $23.50 in pre-market trading after the company reported weaker-than-expected Q1 earnings and issued a weak forecast.
- [By Sid Riggs]
Companies such as Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: CSIQ), SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), Trina Solar Limited (ADR) (NYSE: TSL), JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd (NYSE: JKS), and Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE) have seen their shares explode 1,181%, 755%, 637%, 628%, and 420%, respectively, over the same time frame.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)
Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Solar stocks are shooting higher again today as the strong run in 2013 continues. LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK ) , Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ ) , Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE ) , Hanwha SolarOne (NASDAQ: HSOL ) , and JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS ) led the way, gaining between 10% and 22% today.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One under-$10 stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Hanwha SolarOne (HSOL), which manufactures a number of silicon ingots, PV cells and PV modules using advanced manufacturing process technologies. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up 301%.
If you take a look at the chart for Hanwha SolarOne, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.60 to its recent high of $4.28 a share. During that uptrend, shares of HSOL have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of HSOL within range of triggering a big breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HSOL if it manages to break out above its 52-week high at $4.28 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.61 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then HSOL will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are its next major overhead resistance levels at $6 to $7 a share.
Traders can look to buy HSOL off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average at $3.40 a share, or near more support at $3.35 a share. One can also buy HSOL off strength once it clears $4.28 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: Hanwha SolarOne Ltd. (NASDAQ: HSOL) is down 6.8% at $3.68. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: HOV) is up 2.2% at $5.15.
Stocks on the move: Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) is up 9.3% at $21.74 after being adding to the S&P 500 index. BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ: BBRY) is up 6.4% at $11.53 on reports that a former board member has nearly lined up financing to take the company private. Molex Inc. (NASDAQ: MOLX) is up 31.6% at $38.60 following an agreement to be acquired by Koch Industries Inc.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the move: Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) is up 31.5% at $5.13 on the announcement that Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) will acquire the Finnish firm�� mobile phone business for $7.2 billion. Chinese solar energy stocks are getting a boost again today, with Hanwha SolarOne Co. (NASDAQ: HSOL) up more than 15.9% and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) up 14.9%.
Hot Solar Companies To Buy Right Now: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)
Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
The price of natural gas, however, has dropped 0.4% today, and wouldn’t you know it, coal stocks are weak. Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) has dropped 4.2% to $16.15, while Peabody Energy (BTU) has fallen 2.9% to $17.27. Arch Coal (ACI) is off 1.3% at $4.45, Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) has declined 1.4% to $5.76 and Consol Energy (CNX) has dipped 0.7% to $31.35.
- [By Dimitra DeFotis]
Alpha Natural Resources�(ANR) and�James River Coal�(JRCC) each rose nearly 12%. The largecap U.S. coal players also rallied: Arch Coal�(ACI) was up 10%,�Peabody Energy�(BTU) jumped nearly 9% . �
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Coal stocks are taking it on the chin today after being hit by two body blows over the weekend. Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR ) , Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI ) , and Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU ) all fell 10% or more at some point today.
- [By Aimee Duffy]
The great majority of this country's coal production comes from Wyoming's Powder River Basin. The two leading producers there, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU ) and Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI ) , account for more than half the production in the entire basin, producing 139 million tons and 100 million tons, respectively, in 2012. But as coal demand in this country shrinks, Peabody and Arch have pinned their hopes on exports. Unfortunately, what these companies are finding is that exporting coal from ports on the Pacific coast is an increasingly contentious business.
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