Mar 31, 2023

First Solar Q1 2023 Earnings Report

First Solar reported positive Q1 2023 results, marked by net income per diluted share of $0.40 and net sales of $548 million.

Key Takeaways

First Solar announced its Q1 2023 financial results, with net sales of $548 million and net income per diluted share of $0.40. The company's net cash balance stands at $2.0 billion, and it has secured year-to-date net bookings of 12.1 GWDC, including 4.8 GWDC since the fourth quarter earnings call at an average selling price of $0.318 per watt.

Net sales for Q1 2023 were $548 million.

Net income per diluted share was $0.40.

Net cash balance reached $2.0 billion.

YTD net bookings totaled 12.1 GWDC, with 4.8 GWDC since the last earnings call.

Total Revenue
$548M
Previous year: $367M
+49.4%
EPS
$0.4
Previous year: -$0.41
-197.6%
Gross Profit
$112M
Previous year: $11.5M
+877.5%
Cash and Equivalents
$907M
Previous year: $1.33B
-31.6%
Free Cash Flow
-$406M
Previous year: -$294M
+38.1%
Total Assets
$8.56B
Previous year: $7.4B
+15.7%

First Solar

First Solar

Forward Guidance

First Solar's 2023 guidance remains unchanged, with net sales expected to be between $3.4B and $3.6B and earnings per diluted share projected to be between $7.00 and $8.00.

Positive Outlook

  • Net Sales: $3.4B to $3.6B (Unchanged)
  • Gross Margin: $1.2B to $1.3B (Unchanged)
  • Operating Expenses: $415M to $440M (Unchanged)
  • Operating Income: $745M to $870M (Unchanged)
  • Earnings per Diluted Share: $7.00 to $8.00 (Unchanged)

Challenges Ahead

  • Net Cash Balance: $1.2B to $1.5B (Unchanged)
  • Capital Expenditures: $1.9B to $2.1B (Unchanged)
  • Volume Sold: 11.8GW to 12.3GW (Unchanged)
  • Includes $110 million to $130 million of ramp and underutilization costs and $660 million to $710 million of Section 45X tax benefits
  • Includes $85 million to $90 million of production start-up expense