Subsidy Cuts & Solar Growth

Re-Set or Game Over? The solar industry, like many young industries, depends on substantial government subsidies to fuel growth and profitability. Weaning the industry off these generous subsidies, though, is proving to be a bumpy process. Germany has long been at the core of the solar industry’s growth, driving installations with generous Feed-In Tariff schemes [...]

Quality of First Solar’s Q1 Earnings in Question

While reviewing First Solar’s first quarter earnings, we were surprised by the dramatic rise in receivables on a decline in revenue. The company generated revenue of $418 million, down four percent sequentially, while its accounts receivable balance rose 300 percent, from $60 million to about $180 million. This had a substantial negative effect on the [...]