Yea Hydro. Exactamonto. Is it just me or are others secretly happy at these fad blow ups. I was getting crazy watching some of these solar names start to roll & you must stick to your discipline even if it it's killing you.
With the market as well even if I start losing money I like the fear. I don't want my doorman involved in high finance-- just a mutual fund. I feel even in a lousy environment I can find good trades. A stockpicker can shine better in a lousy market than a roaring one. Where even a dart thrower can feel smart.
That being said obviously I've got money tied up in ancient long positions that get hurt in sell offs. psychologically though it keeps me on my feet-- a good dose of crap in your pants which is what we got yesterday.
Now do I have a solar play for you! And it's Chinese!
But it's decidedly low tech.
Taking a bite out of Deli Solar (DLSL.OB)
Deli Solar makes solar-powered water heaters and a range of coal and alternative-energy fired boilers. Deli Solar primarily sells into rural Chinese markets, where basic electrical and gas utilities are often unreliable if available at all. It sells through a network of 585 distributors and 2000 retailers in 27 Chinese provinces. The Company says that new laws encourage sales and give it tax incentives:
The National People's Congress, the equivalent of the parliament of the PRC, passed the China Renewable Energy Act, effective January 1, 2006. This law creates new opportunities for the growth of the solar power industry in that it promotes the installation of both solar hot water and space heating systems, the integration of these systems into new construction, the application of solar energy in rural China and affords certain financial incentives to these projects. The National Development and Reform Commission will develop a data base of renewable resources energy projects that are supported by the government. If a company's project is on this list, it can apply for preferential treatment including loan and tax incentives. The Chinese Government hopes that this law will boost the renewable energy sector's share from negligible to about 10 % of total energy supplied. Deli Solar, which focuses on the development and commercialization of renewable energy resources, will be important to China's future economic growth.
Deli is profitable. Last quarter it earned $.07 per share (fully diluted) on $6.56M in revenues. Annualized, that would be $.28 on approximately $26M in revenues, giving the company a P/E ratio on the run rate of under 5, and a P/S of under 0.5.
The numbers get even more amazing when you consider the cash on the balance sheet. At the end of last quarter, Deli had almost $4.6M in cash and no debt, or almost $.60 per fully-diluted share.
approximately 6.2 million common shares and 1.8 million warrants outstanding.
The company's tax rate will increase in the coming year as a 100% exemption is scaled back to 50%. The exemption will remain at 50% through 2010, when it expires. The company is also growing rapidly (including building two major production lines). A failure to execute could be costly. Also, Deli Solar has entered into Memoranda of Understanding to purchase two other Chinese companies. These acquisitions, if completed, would utilize much of the company's cash hoard.... So there's a little neg there at the end but it's an interesting story.
I guess the question is does enough sun penetrate the pollution haze of China to make these solar panels work>? Or should they focus on carbon emissions first?