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To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (40113)	2/13/2008 8:25:20 AM
From: John Carragher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 57684

First Solar 4Q Earnings Soar Wednesday February 13, 7:57 am ET First Solar 4th-Qtr Earnings Jump, Driven by Increased Production and Lower Costs PHOENIX (AP) -- Solar modules maker First Solar Inc. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter earnings skyrocketed on increased production and lower costs. The results, which beat Wall Street's expectations, sent shares up $26.19, or 14.9 percent, to $201.75 in premarket trading. The company earned $62.9 million, or 77 cents per share, compared with $8 million, or 12 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Analysts expected profit of 53 cents per share on revenue of $179.6 million, according to a poll by Thomson Financial. Revenue in fact almost quadrupled to $200.8 million, from $52.7 million in the 2006 period. First Solar said full production capacity at its German plant, with increased efficiency and lower manufacturing costs, helped earnings. For the full-year, the company posted profit of $158.4 million, or $2.03 per share, compared with $4 million, or 7 cents per share, in 2006. Revenue jumped to $504 million, from $135 million a year earlier. Analysts predicted earnings of $1.19 per share on sales of $483.4 million for the year.