SolarWorld AG exceeds shipments and revenue forecast for 2015
SolarWorld AG plans to increase its shipments and consolidated revenue by more than 20 percent in 2016 and to reach positive EBIT in a two-digit million amount.
In fiscal year 2015, SolarWorld AG increased groupwide shipments by 33 percent to 1,159 (2014: 873) megawatts according to preliminary information. The United States was the largest individual market with a share of 50 percent. In Germany, SolarWorld managed to raise shipments contrary to the market trend (-30 percent) by more than 60 percent.
Consolidated revenue grew by 33 percent to € 763 (2014: 573) million in 2015. Thus, SolarWorld exceeded both its shipments forecast (> 1 gigawatt) and its revenue forecast (> € 700 million) significantly.
Furthermore, SolarWorld managed to improve earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to € 35 (2014 adjusted for one-off effects: 1.6) million in 2015.
In Q4 2015, the group reached positive earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounting to € +8 million. For the full year, EBIT improved to € "“10 (2014 adjusted for one-off effects: "“44) million.
In 2016, the SolarWorld group wants to uphold the trend and reach a positive EBIT in a two-digit million amount.
Fiscal year 2015 brought considerable improvement of the group's liquidity. SolarWorld AG increased liquid funds as at December 31, 2015, to € 189 (December 31, 2014: 177) million.
By the end of January 2016, the group has generated shipments and orders amounting to 580 MW, which corresponds to half of the total shipments in previous year 2015 (1,159 megawatts).
In the further course of the year 2016, SolarWorld expects a rising demand for its products, especially for highpower modules with PERC and bifacial technology, where modules turn sunlight into power using both the front and the rear side. On this basis, SolarWorld will continue on its path of growth in 2016 and increase groupwide shipments by more than 20 percent, compared with previous year.
SolarWorld will raise consolidated revenue in line with shipments by more than 20 percent and strives to reach up to one billion euros of revenue in 2016.
