First Solar(FSLR) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 earnings per diluted share were $1.95, below the low end of guidance, primarily due to a higher proportion of international sales compared to U.S. sales [5][39] - Gross margin increased to 41$900 million at the end of Q1, reflecting a decrease of $900 million from year-end [44] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company secured net bookings of 0.6 gigawatts at a base ASP of$0.305 per watt, resulting in a contracted backlog of 66.3 gigawatts [4][35] - Q1 module sales were 2.9 gigawatts, with 1.75 gigawatts being domestically produced [39] - Approximately 32.5 gigawatts of contracted volume includes potential adjustments that could generate additional revenue of up to $600 million [36] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The mid to late stage bookings opportunities increased to 23.7 gigawatts, driven by demand in India from the PM Kusum initiative [37][38] - The company anticipates a shift in production from exports to the U.S. to the domestic Indian market due to new tariffs [15][55] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on leveraging its unique profile as the only U.S. headquartered PV manufacturer of scale with a fully vertically integrated manufacturing presence [19][34] - The company plans to pivot its India facility to produce more for the domestic market in response to tariff impacts [15][55] - The company continues to advocate for maintaining key tax policies and strengthening domestic content provisions to support U.S. manufacturing [24][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term prospects for solar demand in the U.S., despite near-term challenges from the new tariff regime [17][33] - The company highlighted the importance of a level playing field in trade practices to ensure the sustainability of U.S. solar manufacturing [20][22] - Management noted that the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and policy changes could impact project costs and financing, leading to potential delays in shipments [50][51] Other Important Information - The company is facing challenges related to increased capital expenditure costs and production costs due to the new tariff regime [49][50] - The company has approximately 13.9 gigawatts of forward contracts for international product delivery to the U.S., with potential tariff-related risks [13][35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for bookings and impact of tariffs - Management noted increased customer engagement and momentum for bookings, but uncertainty remains regarding pricing dynamics due to tariffs and policy changes [66][70] Question: Underperformance of modules - Management confirmed that third-party reports validated root causes of production issues and corrective actions have been implemented [66][70]