Solar manufacturers expect shipments to increase this year as a global glut drives prices to “unsustainable” levels.
Suntech Power Holdings, the world’s largest solar panel company, expects shipments of as much as 2.5 gigawatts this year, up 19 percent from 2.09 gigawatts in 2011, according to a statement today. Canadian Solar said yesterday that shipments will increase as much as 51 percent to 2 gigawatts.
Profits won’t rise at the same pace because solar-panel prices fell 50 percent last year, squeezing gross margins to 9.9 percent in the fourth quarter at Suntech, from 17 percent a year earlier. Jinko Solar Holding reported today gross margin of negative 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter, compared to 29 percent a year earlier.
“The challenge is profitability,” Suntech Chief Executive Officer Zhengrong Shi said during a conference call. “Excess capacity in the global industry has pushed the international solar companies to sell at unsustainable pricing levels in an effort generate cash and maintain viability.”
The growth in shipments will be driven in part by demand in China, where total installations may more than double to 5 gigawatts this year, Shi said.
Suntech, based in Wuxi, China, posted a net loss of $136.9 million, or 76 cents an American depositary receipt, in the fourth quarter. That’s more than double the 33-cent loss analysts were expecting, the average of 7 estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Each Suntech ADR is worth one ordinary share.
‘Unprofitable’ solar companies
Jinko’s net loss was $58.3 million, or $2.58 an ADR. Each ADR for the Jiangxi, China-based company is worth four ordinary shares.
Canadian Solar’s net loss was $59.9 million, or $1.39 a share. The company is based in Kitchener, Canada, and most of its production is in China.
“What we are seeing is optimistic manufacturers continue to expand, but they are unprofitable,”Jesse Pichel, an analyst at Jefferies Group in New York, said in an interview yesterday. “What these companies should be doing is raising prices and taking lower volume, while writing off low end lines or product.”
Suntech is seeking to boost margins by cutting expenses. “Driving down production costs is our top priority in 2012,” Shi said.
