ReneSola
Announces Selected Preliminary Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008
Results
--
Company’s full year 2008 results meet or exceed high end of revenue and
production output guidance
--
Company provides full year 2009 net revenue and production capacity
outlook
JIASHAN, China, March 3, 2009
– ReneSola Ltd (“ReneSola” or the “Company”), a leading global manufacturer of
solar wafers, today announced selected preliminary financial results for the
fourth quarter and full year 2008 and provided net revenue and production
capacity outlook for 2009.
ReneSola
estimates fourth quarter 2008 net revenues in the range of US$157 million to
US$159 million and production output of approximately 112 megawatts (“MW”). For
the full year 2008, the Company expects net revenues in the range of US$669
million to US$671 million and production output of approximately 363 MW. These
estimates are at or above the high end of the Company’s previously issued full
year 2008 guidance of US$640 million to US$670 million in net revenues and 340
MW to 350 MW in total production output.
“We are
pleased that we have been able to achieve our net revenue, production output and
capacity expansion targets for 2008 despite the challenges within the industry
as a result of the global financial crisis,” commented Mr. Xianshou Li,
ReneSola’s chief executive officer. “Our ability to reach these milestones
during trying times demonstrates our effectiveness in executing against our
business plan; shows the market’s increased recognition of our high quality
products; and reflects our position as a leading global wafer
manufacturer.”
Mr. Li
continued, “We have witnessed significant downward pressure on wafer ASPs and
gross margin since late 2008 as industry demand has been negatively impacted by
the broader repercussions of the financial crisis and seasonality.”
For the
fourth quarter 2008, ReneSola expects to record write-downs of approximately
US$130 million to US$140 million against the net realizable value of inventories
as a result of the rapid decrease in the market price and value of feedstock
such as polysilicon and scrap silicon materials, work in progress materials and
finished solar wafers. As a result of the write-downs, ReneSola expects to
report a net loss in the range of US$125 million to US$130 million for the
quarter.
Mr. Li
concluded, “The price recalibrations witnessed from the fourth quarter of 2008
have resulted in margin compression and inventory write-downs for many
participants in the industry. However, the affordability,
competitiveness and popularity of solar energy should rise exponentially as
solar generated electricity nears grid parity. Despite recent challenges, we
remain confident in the mid- to long-term prospects of the industry and believe
that ReneSola is well positioned to ride out the storm through our continual
focus on cost reduction, prudent expansion in line with market demand, solid
cash position, and significant pre-sold output for the year.”
2009
Outlook
ReneSola
estimates net revenues for 2009 to be in the range of US$650 million to US$700
million and full year production output of between 620 MW to 670 MW. The Company
expects to achieve wafer manufacturing capacity of 825 MW by July
2009.
Fourth
Quarter and Full Year 2008 Earnings
ReneSola
will report its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year
ended December 31, 2008 before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, March 12,
2009. Dial-in details will be distributed in a separate
announcement.
About
ReneSola
ReneSola
Ltd (“ReneSola”) is a leading global manufacturer of solar wafers based in
China. Capitalizing on proprietary technologies and technical know-how, ReneSola
manufactures monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers. In addition,
ReneSola strives to enhance its competitiveness through upstream integration
into virgin polysilicon manufacturing. ReneSola possesses a global network of
suppliers and customers that include some of the leading global manufacturers of
solar cells and modules. ReneSola’s shares are currently traded on the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE: SOL) and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM:
SOLA). For more information about ReneSola, please visit www.renesola.com.
Safe
Harbor Statement
This
press release may contain statements that constitute ''forward-looking”
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Whenever you read a statement that is not simply a statement of historical fact
(such as when we describe what we “believe,” “expect” or “anticipate” will
occur, what “will” or “could” happen, and other similar statements), you must
remember that our expectations may not be correct, even though we believe that
they are reasonable. We do not guarantee that the forward-looking statements
will happen as described or that they will happen at all. Further information
regarding risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements is included in our
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our
registration statement on Form F-1. We undertake no obligation, beyond that
required by law, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or
circumstances after the date on which the statement is made, even though our
situation may change in the future.
For
investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In
China:
Mr.
Charles Bai
ReneSola
Ltd
Tel: +86
(573) 8477-3061
E-mail: charles.bai@renesola.com
Mr. Derek
Mitchell
Ogilvy
Financial, Beijing
Tel: +86
(10) 8520-6284
E-mail: derek.mitchell@ogilvy.com
In
the United States:
Mr.
Thomas Smith
Ogilvy
Financial, New York
Tel: +1
(212) 880-5269
E-mail: thomas.smith@ogilvypr.com
In
the United Kingdom:
Mr. Tim
Feather / Mr. Richard Baty
Hanson
Westhouse Limited, London
Tel: +44
(0) 20-7601-6100
E-mail: tim.feather@hansonwesthouse.com
richard.baty@hansonwesthouse.com