Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014

With government austerity tightening budgets in Europe, the solar industry is finding that tight times mean less for subsidies. Several countries in Europe in the past year have either severely reduced or outright dropped feed-in tarrifs for solar power generation. Looking for a more sure thing, governments have dedicated more of those�subsides�toward fossil fuels, which, according to the International Energy Agency, received almost $5.94 for every dollar spent on solar.�

Despite all of these moves, the solar industry is starting to find its own without those subsidies. With major utilities like Southern (NYSE: SO  ) and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway all buying into solar in recent weeks, there are some strong signs that the cost to produce from solar could be in the same conversation as fossil fuels. In this video, Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe talks with Aimee Duffy to look at some of the places solar feels a little less welcome and how it is finding�success�on its own.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)

Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sherry Jim]

  Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd.(NASDAQ: HSOL) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $1.06. HSOL is trading -15.30% below its 50 day moving average and -67.04% below its 200 day moving average. HSOL is -89.16% below its 52-week high of $9.78 and 16.48% above its 52-week low of $0.99. HSOL‘s PE ratio is 1.64 and its market cap is $89.18M.

  Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. is an investment holding company which engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. HSOL also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Spire Corporation(SPIR)

Spire Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets engineered products and services in the areas of PV solar, biomedical, and optoelectronics. It offers specialized equipment for the production of terrestrial photovoltaic modules from solar cells; and photovoltaic systems for application to powering buildings with connection to the utility grid, as well as supplies photovoltaic materials. It also provides surface treatments to manufacturers of orthopedic, cardiovascular, and other medical devices; and performs sponsored research programs into practical applications of biomedical and biophotonic technologies. In addition, the company offers custom compound semiconductor foundry and fabrication services to customers involved in biomedical/biophotonic instruments, telecommunications, and defense applications. Its services comprise compound semiconductor wafer growth, other thin film processes, and related device processing. Further, the company provides materials testing s ervices; and performs services in support of sponsored research into practical applications of optoelectronic technologies. The company offers its products primarily through its sales personnel in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Spire Corporation was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Putnam]

  Spire Corp.(NASDAQ: SPIR) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $0.73. SPIR is trading -5.05% below its 50 day moving average and -52.78% below its 200 day moving average. SPIR is -88.23% below its 52-week high of $6.20 and 37.74% above its 52-week low of $0.53. SPIR‘s PE ratio is N/A and its market cap is $6.10M.

  Spire Corp. develops, manufactures, and markets engineered products and services in the areas of PV solar, biomedical, and optoelectronics.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: LDK Solar Co. Ltd.(LDK)

LDK Solar Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects. It offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules. The company also provides wafer processing services to monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cell and module manufacturers; and sells silicon materials, such as ingots and polysilicon scraps. In addition, it engages in the production and sale of solar cells and modules to developers, distributors, and system integrators; and design and development of solar power projects in Europe, the United States, and China, as well as provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. LDK Solar Co., Ltd. operates in Europe, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Xinyu City, t he People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul]

  LDK Solar Co., Inc.(NYSE: LDK) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $4.38. LDK is trading 9.48% above its 50 day moving average and -11.82% below its 200 day moving average. LDK is -70.74% below its 52-week high of $14.97 and 71.76% above its 52-week low of $2.55. LDK‘s PE ratio is 6.53 and its market cap is $573.78M.

  LDK Solar Co., Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects together with its subsidiaries. LDK offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules.

• [By Hawkinvest]

  LDK Solar (LDK) is one of the largest solar companies, but it has a balance sheet that concerns me. According to Yahoo Finance, LDK has a debt load of over $3.5 billion and with the industry still struggling, that is too much risk for my tastes. The company expanded aggressively in the past few years, but that expansion now looks poorly timed. When the stock was trading below $4, I thought it made sense to do some bottom-fishing, but the shares have more than doubled from the 52 week low, and look vulnerable at these levels.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Renesola Ltd.(SOL)

ReneSola Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar wafers and solar power products. It offers virgin polysilicons, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic cells and modules. The company also provides cell and module processing services. Its products are used in a range of residential, commercial, industrial, and other solar power generation systems. The company sells its solar wafers primarily to solar cell and module manufacturers. It principally operates in Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, and the United States. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Jiashan, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Martin]

  Renesola Ltd.(NYSE: SOL) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $1.61. SOL is trading -6.98% below its 50 day moving average and -45.69% below its 200 day moving average. SOL is -87.85% below its 52-week high of $13.25 and 11.03% above its 52-week low of $1.45. SOL‘s PE ratio is 1.56 and its market cap is $139.77M.

  Renesola Ltd. engages in the manufacture and sale of solar wafers and solar power products together with its subsidiaries. SOL offers virgin polysilicons, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic cells and modules.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited(YGE)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and installation of photovoltaic (PV) products in the People?s Republic of China and internationally. The company offers PV cells, PV modules, and integrated PV systems, as well as polysilicon ingots, blocks, and wafers. It sells its PV modules to distributors, wholesalers, power plant developers and operators, and PV system integrators in Germany, the United States, Italy, China, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Japan under the Yingli and Yingli Solar brand names. The company also offers its integrated PV systems directly to end-users or to contractors for use in the electricity projects, as well as to mobile communications companies in the People's Republic of China. Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Baoding, the People? s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Harding]

  Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., Ltd.(NYSE: YGE) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $4.07. YGE is trading 4.05% above its 50 day moving average and -22.09% below its 200 day moving average. YGE is -70.05% below its 52-week high of $13.59 and 48.00% above its 52-week low of $2.75. YGE‘s PE ratio is 3.79 and its market cap is $643.85M.

  Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., Ltd. engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and installation of photovoltaic (PV) products in the People’s Republic of China and internationally.

• [By Hawkinvest]

  Yingli Green Energy (YGE) is one of the largest solar companies in China, and it recently announced that it expects to recognize an impairment charge of about $361 million and an impairment of goodwill for about $43 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. Yingli plans to announce fourth quarter and full year results for 2011 on February 29, 2012. It makes sense to wait for an update on the financial results from the company before making a significant investment. If the stock remains stable after earnings, it could be a positive sign that it has reached a bottom.

  This company has a debt load which concerns some investors, but it is posting smaller losses when compared to other solar companies. When the solar stocks were at a cyclical peak around December 2007, Yingli shares traded for about $38 per share. Now the stock can be bought for less than one-tenth of that price. The impairment charges this company plans to take is a sign that it is making tough choices and possibly positioning it for a future rebound.

• [By Jim Jubak]

   Yipes! A Chinese solar stock? Everyone knows that the market for solar cells has collapsed and that China's solar sector is awash in unused capacity and desperate companies barely clinging to life. Exactly --everybody knows. So what does it take to move a stock like Yingli Green Energy (YGE)?

  It doesn't take much. Some positive speculation that Yingli and competitor Trina Solar (TSL) are well-financed enough  to be among the survivors in the sector would do it. (Yingli can sustain the 2013 cash burn rate for four years, Credit Suisse calculates.) Yingli would also be helped by news of China's State Council encouraging mergers and acquisitions (and maybe even a bankruptcy) in an effort to reduce capacity in the sector -- and banning local government financing of the sort that has kept Suntech Power (STP) and LDK Solar (LDK) in business. There's also a new, high-profile target for increased buying of solar equipment by China's power companies. That last factor has been especially important to Yingli Green Energy, since the company is set to receive orders under the government-funded program.

  Shares of Yingli Green Energy have just about doubled from a Nov. 21 low of $1.28 to a Dec. 19 price of $2.44. But there's room to run; the 52-week high is $6.27.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd.(JASO)

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of photovoltaic solar cells and solar products, which convert sunlight into electricity in the People's Republic of China. The company?s principal products include monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells, as well as various solar modules. It also provides silicon wafer and solar cell processing services. The company sells its products primarily under the JA Solar brand name, as well as produces equipment for original equipment manufacturing customers under their brand names. It sells its solar cell and module products primarily to module manufacturers, system integrators, project developers, and distributors in the Germany, Italy, the United States, Hong Kong, Spain, India, the Czech Republic, France, and South Korea. The company has strategic partnerships with various solar power companies, such as BP Solar, Solar-Fabrik, and MEMC/SunEdison. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Cutler]

  JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd.(NASDAQ: JASO) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $1.37. JASO is trading -10.95% below its 50 day moving average and -54.27% below its 200 day moving average. JASO is -84.01% below its 52-week high of $8.57 and 13.22% above its 52-week low of $1.21. JASO‘s PE ratio is 2.09 and its market cap is $225.58M.

  JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of photovoltaic solar cells and solar products, which convert sunlight into electricity in the People’s Republic of China through its subsidiaries.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Cutler]

  First Solar (FSLR) is a leading manufacturer of solar power modules, boasting great growth of both revenues and earnings … and profit margins of 27% in the latest quarter, very impressive for a manufacturer. The stock was a big winner for Cabot Market Letter in 2006 (we sold in March 2007) and like most stocks in the industry it’s spent the time since then cooling off. I think it’s cool enough now. First Solar was on the list three years ago, too.

• [By Chuck]

  First Solar (FSLR) has been picked by J.P. Morgan as the worst company in this sector and it is recommended that stocks be sold in the short run. With the reduction in subsidies, First Solar is likely to see a reduction in the sale of modules (which constitutes the largest part of its revenue). Operating margins are expected to be lower than expectations due to lower module margins. The stock is currently trading at $46.11 and is expected to go south of $4 0. Earnings per share of $7.71 are expected to decrease to $5.13 by the end of 2012. The company has market capitalization of $3.99 billion.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Canadian Solar Inc.(CSIQ)

Canadian Solar Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of solar power products in Canada and internationally. The company offers solar cell and solar module products that convert sunlight into electricity for various uses. Its products include a range of standard solar modules for use in a range of residential, commercial, and industrial solar power generation systems. The company also designs and produces specialty solar modules and products consisting of customized modules that its customers incorporate into their products, such as solar-powered bus stop lighting; and specialty products, such as portable solar home systems and solar-powered car battery chargers. In addition, it sells solar system kits, a package consisting of solar modules produced by it and third party supplied components, such as inverters, racking system, and other accessories, as well as implements solar power development projects. The company sells its products under the Canad ian Solar brand name. Canadian Solar Inc. offers its standard solar modules through a direct sales force and sales agents primarily to distributors, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturer customers, as well as to solar projects; and specialty solar modules and products to the automotive, telecommunications, and light-emitting diode lighting sectors. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Kitchener, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenn]

  Canadian Solar, Inc.(NASDAQ: CSIQ) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $2.80. CSIQ is trading 7.52% above its 50 day moving average and -50.19% below its 200 day moving average. CSIQ is -83.32% below its 52-week high of $16.79 and 35.27% above its 52-week low of $2.07. CSIQ‘s PE ratio is N/A and its market cap is $120.83M .

  Canadian Solar, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of solar power products in Canada and internationally. The company offers solar cell and solar module products that convert sunlight into electricity for various uses. Its products include a range of standard solar modules for use in a range of residential, commercial, and industrial solar power generation systems.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sherry Jim]

  BTU International, Inc.(NASDAQ: BTUI) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $2.5608. BTUI is trading -7.35% below its 50 day moving average and -45.75% below its 200 day moving average. BTUI is -80.90% below its 52-week high of $13.41 and 5.38% above its 52-week low of $2.44. BTUI‘s PE ratio is 12.93 and its market cap is $24.28M .

  BTU International, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, sale, and service of thermal processing systems used in various manufacturing processes primarily in the electronics, alternative energy, and automotive industries worldwide.

Top 10 Solar Stocks To Own For 2014: DayStar Technologies Inc.(DSTI)

DayStar Technologies, Inc., a development stage company, engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of solar photovoltaic products to the grid-tied and ground-based photovoltaic markets. The company offers solar photovoltaic modules to convert sunlight into electricity. It provides monolithically integrated copper indium gallium selenide modules on glass laminate substrates for centralized utility power plants, commercial building roof tops, and smaller residential roof tops. DayStar Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Smith]

  Daystar Technologies, Inc.(NASDAQ: DSTI) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $0.22. DSTI is trading -21.76% below its 50 day moving average and -29.42% below its 200 day moving average. DSTI is -88.30% below its 52-week high of $1.88 and 69.23% above its 52-week low of $0.13. DSTI ‘s PE ratio is N/A and its market cap is $2.10M .

  Daystar Technologies, Inc. is a development stage company. DSTI engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of solar photovoltaic products to the grid-tied and ground-based photovoltaic markets.