$FSLR (-5,23%) | First Solar Q3'24 Earnings Highlights:
๐น EPS: $2.91 (Est. $3.11) ๐ด
๐น Revenue: $887.67M (Est. $1.07B) ๐ด
๐น Net Income: Impacted by a $50M product warranty reserve charge
๐น GAAP Net Cash Balance: $0.7B (DOWN from $1.2B in Q2'24)
FY24 Guidance:
๐น Revenue: $4.1B-$4.25B (Est. $4.44B) ๐ด
๐น EPS: $13.00-$13.50 (Est. $13.44) ๐ก
๐น Gross Margin: $1.95B-$2.00B
๐น Operating Income: $1.48B-$1.54B
๐น Volume Sold: 14.2GW-14.6GW (Previous 15.6GW-16.3GW)
๐น Capital Expenditures: $1.55B-$1.65B (Previous $1.8B-$2.0B)
๐น Net Cash Balance: $0.5B-$0.7B (Previous $0.6B-$0.9B)
Operational Highlights:
๐น Bookings: 4.0 GW YTD; 0.4 GW added since Q2 earnings call
๐น Sales Backlog: 73.3 GW
๐น Product Warranty Reserve Charge: $50M impacting Q3 profit
๐น Revenue Decrease Driver: Lower MW sold and warranty charge, partially offset by termination payments from customers in the U.S. and India
Financial Metrics:
๐น Operating Expenses: $123.3M
๐น R&D Expenses: $50.2M
๐น Production Start-up Costs: $26.8M
๐น Cash and Cash Equivalents: $1.01B
๐น Capital Expenditures: Driven by U.S. factory builds in Alabama and Louisiana
CEO Mark Widmar's Commentary:
๐ธ "Despite industry volatility and political uncertainties, we are pleased with our progress. Our disciplined, long-term strategy will help us navigate the outcomes of the U.S. elections and ongoing market fluctuations, ensuring balanced growth, profitability, and liquidity."
Business Highlights:
๐ธ Factory Expansion: Capital investments continue for new facilities in Alabama and Louisiana.
๐ธ Political & Market Risks: Company monitoring potential impacts of U.S. elections and global solar manufacturing volatility.
๐ธ Section 45X Tax Credit: Guidance includes $1.02B-$1.05B tax benefits, offset by ramp costs and production start-up expenses.