X
Innovation

SunPower cuts sees Q2 losses ahead as solar panel margins dip

SunPower, a solar panel manufacturer, said it will post a second quarter loss as its profit margins slide due to weak demand in Germany and Italy
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor

SunPower, a solar panel manufacturer, said it will post a second quarter loss as its profit margins slide due to weak demand in Germany and Italy, two countries that have phased out subsidies.

The company projected second quarter revenue of $590 million to $595 million. That outlook was in line with Wall Street expectations. However, SunPower projected a non-GAAP loss of 19 cents a share to 20 cents a share. Wall Street was looking for a profit of 3 cents a share.

What happened? SunPower's gross margins collapsed. SunPower projected gross margins between 12 percent to 13 percent compared to its previous outlook of 15 percent to 17 percent. Wall Street was looking for gross margins of 16.18 percent, which was already down from 20.33 percent in the first quarter.

Under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) SunPower expects gross margins of 3 percent to 4 percent and a loss of $1.50 a share to $1.55 a share.

The company said in a statement
:

Preliminary second quarter results reflect a shift in product mix related to market conditions in Germany and recent policy changes in Italy.

Fortunately for SunPower, it has lined up a partnership with Total to expand into new markets and get better rates on investment capital.

Related:

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

Editorial standards