First Solar, Inc. Announces 2007 Fourth Quarter and Year-end Financial Results

First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended, December 29, 2007. Quarterly revenues were $200.8 million, up from $159.0 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 and up from $52.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006. Revenues for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2007 were $504.0 million, up from $135.0 million in fiscal year 2006.

Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 was $62.9 million or $0.77 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared to net income of $46.0 million or $0.58 per share on a fully diluted basis for the third quarter of fiscal 2007. Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2007 included a one time tax benefit of $7.5 million, or $0.09 per fully diluted share due to the reversal of valuation allowances against previously established deferred tax assets in Germany. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 was $8.0 million or $0.11 per share on a fully diluted pro-forma basis.

Net income for fiscal 2007 was $158.4 million or $2.03 per share on a fully diluted basis compared to net income of $4.0 million for fiscal 2006 or $0.05 per share on a fully diluted pro-forma basis.

Pro-forma earnings per share for the three months and fiscal year ended, December 30, 2006, have been adjusted to give effect to the Company's equity offerings during 2006, including its initial public offering, as if each occurred on January 1, 2006. The Company believes the pro-forma earnings per share presentation represents a meaningful basis for the comparison of its current results to results during fiscal periods occurring prior to the Company's initial public offering.

"During the fourth quarter of 2007 we benefited from the full capacity and economies of scale of our Frankfurt/Oder plant. This combined with continued throughput and conversion efficiency gains afforded us strong operating leverage and decreased our manufacturing cost per watt by 12% year over year to $1.12 per watt in the fourth quarter of 2007, further solidifying our cost leadership position in the industry," said Michael J. Ahearn, Chief Executive Officer of First Solar.

Source: First Solar, Inc.
http://investor.firstsolar.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=294090