News | Energy Efficiency

http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/solar/sma-predicts-flat-or-shrinking-solar-market.html

SMA Solar, Germany’s largest solar company, saw its sales double in 2010, but warned the solar market will be flat or may even decline in 2011 thanks to falling subsidies.

Group sales hit €1.9bn, giving consolidated earnings before interest and tax of €516m and consolidated profit of €365m.
The company proposes a dividend of €3.00 per share, 3.5 per cent of its current share price. SMA calls this, ‘significantly higher than the proposed dividend of comparative companies listed on the stock exchange in Germany’.
But the company warned that cuts to feed-in tariffs in Germany, which is the largest market for photovoltaic products, and other European countries would hit growth.
‘SMA is convinced that the development of the photovoltaic markets is only at an initial stage,’ the company said in a statement.
‘However, due to changes in support programs in important European solar markets, SMA predicts a temporary stagnation in the market in 2011.’
German solar cell manufacturer Q-Cells, which also reported results this week, struck a similarly cautious note.