wenn das so weiter geht, kommt dieses jahr noch chapter 11
Evergreen Solar Reports First Quarter Financial Results
Evergreen Solar, Inc. (NasdaqCM: ESLR), a manufacturer of String Ribbon® solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost silicon wafer technology, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended April 2, 2011.
Revenues for the first quarter of 2011 were $35.3 million, down 60.4% sequentially compared to fourth quarter of 2010 revenues of $89.3 million. Shipments for the first quarter of 2011 were approximately 17.8 megawatts, compared to fourth quarter of 2010 shipments of 46.6 megawatts. Average selling price for the first quarter of 2011 was $1.86 per watt, down approximately 2% from $1.90 per watt recorded in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Gross margin for the first quarter of 2011 was -62.5% compared to -84% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Gross margin in the first quarter of 2011 was impacted by the decline in average selling prices, lower sales volume, an estimated lower of cost or market adjustment of approximately $17.2 million recorded to the cost basis of our inventory and inefficiencies associated with the shut down of our Devens facility. Gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2010 was primarily impacted by a write-down of prepaid inventory resulting from the decision to close the Company''s Devens, Massachusetts manufacturing facility.
Operating loss for the first quarter of 2011 was $46.2 million, compared to $399.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2010. Operating loss in the fourth quarter of 2010 was impacted by an inventory write-down and impairment of long-lived assets totaling $377.5 million in connection with the Company''s decision to close its Devens manufacturing facility.
Net loss for the first quarter of 2011 was $33.4 million compared to $411.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash, as of April 2, 2011 were approximately $38.5 million and were approximately $33 million at April 30, 2011, after making the Company''s scheduled interest payment of $10.75 million on April 15, 2011 to holders of the Company''s 13% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2015.
As previously disclosed, the Company''s near-term liquidity has been negatively impacted as a result of its low year-to-date sales volume and potentially slower sales for the remainder of this year combined with expected increased pricing pressure. Furthermore, cash to be realized through the reduction in accounts receivable and inventory from the recently closed Devens facility will be less than previously expected and will take longer than expected to realize. Accordingly, the Company believes it will need to secure additional sources of cash sooner than expected and has retained financial and legal advisors to actively evaluate restructuring alternatives. In light of ongoing discussions and negotiations with certain noteholders, the Company has cancelled the previously scheduled conference call that had been arranged for Friday, May 13, 2011 at 8:30a.m. ET. For additional financial information and disclosure regarding Evergreen Solar''s 2011 first quarter results and risks associated with the Company''s liquidity position and restructuring efforts, investors can refer to the Form 10-Q report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 12, 2011. A copy of this 10-Q can be accessed on the Company''s website at www.evergreensolar.com.
Focusing on Evergreen Solar''s future as a supplier of low cost, high performance standard size solar wafers, Mr. Michael El-Hillow, President and Chief Executive Officer, notes, "The success of a high volume solar panel manufacturer will be best reflected in its ability to decrease its total cost profile. We expect to achieve a total wafer cost of about $0.25 per watt by 2013 using our proprietary furnace technology. We also believe that String Ribbon technology provides a significant step function decrease in silicon and non-silicon wafer costs to enable a total silicon-based panel cost that will be significantly lower than $1 per watt within the next few years. Our initial pilot furnaces are now producing standard size wafers in Massachusetts. After extensive testing, we have begun sending sample lots from these furnaces to potential customers who are engaged in the evaluation of our standard size String Ribbon wafers."