For nearly a decade First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) has paced the solar industry. The company's thin-film solar modules were by far the most affordable per watt when the industry was emerging in the 2000s, and it generated a gross margin of over 50% for a period of time.
But First Solar is no longer the dominant player it once was. Competition from China rapidly lowered the cost of polysilicon panels and the company's cost leadership has evaporated. To make matters worse, as the cost of modules has fallen, efficiency has become more important and First Solar has effectively been forced out of the residential solar market. Add all of this up and margins have dropped, and so has First Solar stock along with them.
FSLR Gross Profit Margin Quarterly data by YCharts
To make up for these challenges First Solar has made some bold moves recently. It bought start-up TetraSun, who can supposedly build polysilicon panels at high efficiencies and low cost. In theory, this will eventually allow First Solar to focus on areas outside of utility-scale solar.
Top 10 Information Technology Companies To Own In Right Now: RealD Inc(RLD)
RealD Inc., together with its subsidiaries, licenses stereoscopic 3D technologies in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company designs, manufactures, licenses, and markets its RealD Cinema Systems that enable digital cinema projectors to show 3D motion pictures and alternative 3D content to consumers wearing the company?s RealD eyewear. It also offers RealD Display, active and passive eyewear ,and RealD Format technologies to consumer electronics manufacturers, and content producers and distributors to enable the delivery and viewing of 3D content on high definition televisions, laptops, and other displays. In addition, the company sells CrystalEyes eyewear, monitors, digital light processing television kits, polarizer films, emitters, and linear polarizing systems to companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and research and development organizations for applications in piloting the Mars Rover and in theme park installations. RealD Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Stock investors got rewarded again for their risk tolerance Wednesday as major market benchmarks including the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials rose to new all-time record highs. Even amid the generally bullish sentiment, RealD (NYSE: RLD ) , Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX ) , and Sina (NASDAQ: SINA ) stood out because of their impressive gains. Let's look more closely at these stocks to see why they soared today.
- [By Tim Beyers]
There's a lot riding on Man of Steel, and not just for Warner. RealD (NYSE: RLD ) gets a cut of box office receipts for showings in its 3D format, a strategy that has worked well in years past. A big gate could mean a big payday here as well.
5 Best Forestry Stocks To Own Right Now: Vera Bradley Inc.(VRA)
Vera Bradley, Inc., through its subsidiary, Vera Bradley Designs, Inc., engages in the design, production, marketing, and retail of functional accessories for women under the ?Vera Bradley? brand. Its products include a range of handbags, accessories, and travel and leisure items. The company sells its products to independent retailers located in the United States, as well as to national retailers and third party e-commerce sites. As of January 29, 2011, Vera Bradley, Inc. sold its products directly through 35 full-price stores, 4 outlet stores, verabradley.com, and an annual outlet sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Men’s Wearhouse (MW) fell 12.1% to $34.08 after reporting disappointing earnings, while Vera Bradley (VRA) managed to turn a 10% loss at the open into a 3.1% drop at the close as investors tried to digest its earnings report.
- [By David Sterman]
For now, there are two distinct groups making fresh lows: teen apparel retailers and emerging markets. I've written a great deal recently about emerging markets, so I will instead give a deep look in search of value among the beaten-down retailers. Here's a quick snapshot of the struggling group. (I've included Vera Bradley (NYSE: VRA), which appeals to a slightly older demographic.)
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Vera Bradley (NASDAQ: VRA ) were down as much as 13% today, as the women's handbag maker provided weak guidance in its earnings report ,and said that its CEO would be retiring.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
At first glance, Vera Bradley’s (VRA) earnings report looked great. The retailer reported a profit of 37 cents a share, above analyst forecasts of 32 cents.
But in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of the stock market, that was the past, and the present and future, well they don’t look so hot. For the third quarter, the Vera Bradley, which competes against Coach (COH) and Michael Kors (KORS), among others, now expects sales between�$128 million to $130 million, below forecasts for about $147 million, and a profit of 30 cents to 35 cents, below forecasts for a 48-cent profit. In 2014, Vera Bradley expects sales of�$535 million to $540 million, below forecasts for $575, while its earnings should come in between�$1.47 and $1.52, below expectations of $1.72.�And did I mention that its margins are expected to decline too?�
Put it all together and you have a recipe for a big drop. Vera Bradley’s shares have plunged 10% to $17.50 in after-hours trading.
Ouch.
5 Best Forestry Stocks To Own Right Now: Nicor Inc. (GAS)
Nicor Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in natural gas distribution business in the United States. The company distributes natural gas to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in northern Illinois. It also provides natural gas storage and transmission-related services to marketers and other gas distribution companies. The company?s gas distribution, transmission, and storage network includes approximately 34,000 miles of steel, plastic, and cast iron main; approximately 2.0 million steel, plastic/aluminum composite, plastic, and copper services connecting the mains to customers? premises; and 8 underground storage fields. In addition, Nicor offers shipping services, including the transportation of containerized freight between Florida, the eastern coast of Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean region. It transports building materials, and food and other necessities for developers, manufacturers, and residents in the Caribbean an d the Bahamas; tourist-related shipments intended for use in hotels and resorts, and on cruise ships; and interisland shipments and northbound shipments of apparel and agricultural products, as well as provides inland transportation and cargo insurance services. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated a fleet of 11 owned vessels and 4 chartered vessels with a container capacity totaling approximately 5,270 Twenty-foot equivalent units. Further, it owns and/or leases containers, container-handling equipment, chassis, and other equipment. Additionally, Nicor involves in the marketing of energy-related products and services, including warranty and maintenance contracts, as well as repair and installation services of heating, air conditioning and indoor air-quality equipment, and customer move connection services for other utilities; and wholesale marketing of natural gas supply services. The company was founded in 1953 and is based in Naperville, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
Up first is AGL Resources (GAS), a $6.5 billion natural gas utility. Utility stocks have been quietly working their way higher in recent months, showing better relative strength than any other sector in November And AGL Resources is no exception: it's up 15% since the calendar flipped to January.
But don't worry if you missed the move year-to-date -- shares are flirting with an important breakout level this week.
GAS has spent the last few months forming an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish price setup that's formed by horizontal resistance above shares at $55 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as GAS bounces in between those two technical levels, it's been getting squeezed closer to a breakout above that $55 price ceiling. When that happens, we've got our buy signal -- and we're very close at the start of today's session.
How about that relative strength I mentioned a moment ago? It looks stellar in GAS -- in fact, this stock's relative strength line has held its uptrend since the start of the year, an indication that GAS is outperforming the rest of the market in good times and bad ones. As long as that relative strength uptrend remains intact, shares of GAS should keep outperforming.
If you decide to buy the next material move above $55, the 200-day moving average is a logical place to park a protective stop.
Must Read: 5 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now - [By Vanin Aegea]
Investors are very often turned off by a cyclical business. Nonetheless, such behavior gives investors the chance to take a position in a profitable business model at a low entry price. With a recent boom in the U.S. market, prices are not expected to be in the low end. Let us look at AGL Resources (GAS) and Suburban Propane (SPH) to see whether any of them offer a profitable business model at a low entry price.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Energy services holding company AGL Resources (GAS) raised its quarterly dividend 4.3% to 49 cents per share, payable on Mar. 1 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 14.
GAS Dividend Yield: 4.23%
5 Best Forestry Stocks To Own Right Now: Qatar Investment Fund PLC (QIF)
Qatar Investment Fund plc, formerly Epicure Qatar Equity Opportunities plc, is a closed-end investment company established to invest primarily in quoted equities of Qatar and other Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries. Its investment objective is to capture, principally through the medium of the Qatar Exchange by investing in listed companies or companies to be listed. It also invests in listed companies, pre-initial public offer (IPO) companies, in other GCC countries. As of June 30, 2010, the Company had a portfolio of 22 investments in quoted companies in the Gulf, with 17 of them being in Qatar, four investments in United Arab Emirates and one in Kuwait. As at June 30, 2010, the top five holdings of the Company are Qatar National bank, Industries Qatar, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Qatar Islamic Bank and Rayan Bank. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary is Epicure Qatar Opportunities Holdings Limited. The investment manager of the Company is Epicure Managers Qatar Limited. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vivian Lewis]
The fund also operates to cut tax liabilities. EXG executes timely trades to capture additional qualified dividend income (QIF) subject to capital gains taxes which are usually lower than income taxes.
No comments:
Post a Comment