http://seekingalpha.com/article/...epchild-of-the-chinese-solar-boom? ......... Since the third-quarter conference call, the company has issued six news releases summing up some 330MW of contracts and projects, most notably with 213MW Chinese corporations, a record activity, compared to none for the prior 11 months. On December 2nd news came out, this time about the credit agreement from Bank of Beijing issuing $574M credit facility to the company. I quote Chief Financial Officer of Hanwha SolarOne Mr. Jay Seo's words about this event: "This is an important component to support our emphasis on a strengthening downstream business in China. We currently have 250MW in our pipeline. We expect to build up our EPC competency and project track record and develop an IPP business, including through strategic partnerships in China now under active discussion." That portfolio of 250MW came to me as a surprise. Then I found Ki-Joon Hong's statement, Chairman and CEO, who said the following in prepared remarks during the third-quarter conference: "We will for sure enhance profitability with a focus on expansion in high-end markets including the EU residential as top segment, exploit first-mover advantage in Japan and also higher price segment of U.S. market."
Ki-Joon Hong continued with the 2014 strategy: "Strengthen PV downstream business in China, our EPC competence and develop IPP business with consolidation through our alliance with strategic partners. Differentiate from Chinese peers with high-quality, low-cost production driven by increased manufacturing automation and cooperation with Q-CELLS. Develop market initiatives in Hanwha growth, leveraging the long-term reliability, network and revenue." The news on December 4th about Strategic Partnership MOU with Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology to Develop Downstream Opportunities in China, gave the full meaning of the transformation, including a 150MW module supply from Hanwha.
If considering other points of the strategy, Hanwha is certainly delivering a different momentum in the last 40 days. Certainly, I expect the company to have the highest deliveries to Japan out of the peer group, followed by large (for them) contributions to the US and South Korea during Q4. ...... with those December releases and the fact of Hanwha's mother backing, and now Chinese banks, SolarOne is becoming a lot more attractive at its current price, particularly when altered into an independent power producer. most are completely oblivious to the list of improvements spelled out for Q4 by management. Those include shipments in the area of 380MW, where I hope for 400MW, gross margins' expansion and average selling prices supporting at least the same $0.68 per watt (and absolute price per watt shipped at $0.61 including OEM service). Finally, cost reduction and manufacturing efficiencies for wafers and cells with the introduction of new, E STAR II cell technology, reportedly improves average module efficiency by 3 to 5W and reduces silver paste intake by some 45%. With some 15 grams of silver per average 60-cell panel the cost reduction could be up to $0.04 per watt, something which could help with results in Q1, 2014. I also hope for less OEM and more third-party sales during Q4, while having as much as 100MW shipments domestically in China. More than half, 63MW, were confirmed with China Huaneng Group on December 10 and Jiangsu Zhongtian on December 11.
Of course, Hanwha is not going to hit profitability any time soon. Yet the realization of the above conditions could suddenly accelerate HSOL, something which is not yet palpable.
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