Press Releases

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) today announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 29, 2013. 

"SunPower's third-quarter results reflect strong execution of our diversified downstream strategy, as global demand for our high efficiency systems in both our power plant and distributed generation channels remains robust," said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO.  "Operationally, we beat our cost reduction goals for the quarter while improving overall equipment effectiveness and average solar cell conversion efficiency.  Due to strong demand for our unique, cost effective, high efficiency products, we have made the strategic decision to expand our solar cell manufacturing capacity by more than 25 percent.  SunPower's planned 350-megawatts (MW) expansion will produce our next generation, step-reduced cell technology with initial silicon starting in early 2015.  This will bring our total cell capacity to more than 1.8-gigawatts (GW) when fully ramped. 

"Regionally, our North American business once again drove our performance, as construction of the 579-MW Solar Star projects for MidAmerican Solar remains on plan and we expect to start commercial operation of the California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) in the near future.  We continue to see significant demand in our residential lease business and recently signed an additional $155 million in new lease capacity financing to fund our growth.  With this new financing, our total lease capacity to date now exceeds $850 million.  Additionally, we expanded our solar loan program during the quarter by signing an agreement with Digital Federal Credit Union for up to $100 million in financing capacity.

"Japan remains a key market for SunPower.  In addition to our longstanding participation in the residential market, we are also increasing shipments to the commercial and power plant segments as evidenced by the recent signing of supply agreements totaling more than 90-MW for two power plants projects.

"Our performance in Europe was solid, as demand trends improved further and industry conditions were in line with our expectations.  As a result, we increased revenue sequentially and met our margin targets for the quarter.  In our emerging markets channel, we are continuing to expand our footprint as we partner with Total to monetize our growing international pipeline.  For example, we recently announced that in partnership with Total S.A., we will construct a 70-MWdc merchant power plant in Chile, the largest merchant solar project in the world, with completion scheduled for 2015," concluded Werner.

Key milestones achieved by the company since the second quarter of 2013 include:

• Announced 350-MW cell capacity expansion for 2015 production
• Continued construction of 579-MW Solar Star projects for MidAmerican Solar
• Signed supply agreement with Shimizu for 69-MWdc power plant in Japan for Eurus Energy Corporation, a joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Corp. and Tokyo Electric Power
• Announced 70-MWdc merchant power plant in Chile in partnership with Total S.A.
• North American commercial project pipeline now exceeds $1 billion
• Started initial shipments for 65-MW of projects under French tender award
• Residential lease program – approximately 20,000 customers representing 159-MW to date
• Signed $155 million in new residential lease financing capacity with two partners
• Signed agreement with Digital Federal Credit Union for up to $100 million in solar loan financing
• All manufacturing facilities operating at full capacity

"SunPower's ability to leverage our downstream model, combined with the successful execution in our lease and projects business, enabled us to exceed our operational goals for the quarter," said Chuck Boynton, SunPower CFO.  "Financially, we successfully managed our working capital needs, drove more than $150 million in free cash flow and ended the quarter with approximately $1 billion in available liquidity.  Looking forward, we are well positioned for long-term profitability to continue to monetize our global project pipeline, expand our footprint in the distributed generation market and strategically manage our cash."

Third quarter fiscal 2013 GAAP results include pre-tax benefits (charges) and adjustments totaling approximately $53.1 million, including a $26.3 million gross margin adjustment related to the timing of revenue recognition from utility and power plant projects; $52.0 million gain on contract termination; $(12.1) million in stock-based compensation expense; $(12.3) million in non-cash interest expense and $(0.8) million of other adjustments.  These benefits (charges) and adjustments are excluded from the company's non-GAAP results. 

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2013 Financial Outlook
The company's fourth quarter 2013 consolidated non-GAAP guidance is as follows: revenue of $675 million to $725 million, gross margin of 17 percent to 19 percent, net income per diluted share of $0.15 to $0.35 and MW recognized in the range of 300 MW to 330 MW.  On a GAAP basis, the company expects revenue of $575 million to $625 million, gross margin of 17 percent to 19 percent and net income (loss) per diluted share of ($0.10) to $0.10.

For fiscal year 2013, the company expects non-GAAP revenue of $2.52 billion to $2.57 billion, gross margin of 19 percent to 20 percent, net income per diluted share of $1.30 to $1.50, capital expenditures of $45 million to $55 million and GW recognized in the range of 1.0 GW to 1.03 GW.  On a GAAP basis, the company expects revenue of $2.45 billion to $2.50 billion, gross margin of 18 percent to 19 percent and net income per diluted share of $0.45 to $0.65.  SunPower remains on track to reduce its operational expenses year over year and expects to generate free cash flow, including lease financings of approximately $200 million while continuing to invest in its technology roadmap and manufacturing cost reduction initiatives.

The company will host a conference call for investors this afternoon to discuss its third quarter 2013 performance at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time.  The call will be webcast and can be accessed from SunPower's website at http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/events.cfm.

This press release contains both GAAP and non-GAAP financial information.  Non-GAAP historical figures are reconciled to the closest GAAP equivalent categories in the financial attachment of this press release.  Please note that the company has posted supplemental information and slides related to its third quarter 2013 performance on the Events and Presentations section of the SunPower Investor Relations page at http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/events.cfm.  The capacity of power plants in this release is described in approximate megawatts on an alternating current (ac) basis unless otherwise noted.

About SunPower
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.SunPowercorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding:  (a) expanding manufacturing capacity; (b) CVSR construction timeline; (c) growing demand in residential leasing; (d) growing demand in Japan; (e) expanding internal operations; (f) growing international project pipeline; (g) monetizing projects with assistance from Total S.A.; (h) growing North American commercial project pipeline; (i) positioning for long-term profitability; (j) strategically managing cash; (k) guidance for the fourth fiscal quarter, including non-GAAP revenue, gross margin, net income per diluted share and MW recognized and GAAP revenue, gross margin and net loss per diluted share; (l) guidance for fiscal year 2013, including non-GAAP revenue, gross margin, net income per diluted share, capital expenditures and MW recognized and GAAP revenue, gross margin and net income/loss per diluted share; (m) reducing operating expenses; (n) generating free cash flow; (o) additional leasing capacity; (p) investing in technology roadmap and manufacturing cost reduction initiatives.  These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and beliefs and involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause results, performance or achievement to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) competition in the industry and downward pressure on average selling prices; (2) our liquidity, substantial indebtedness, and our ability to obtain additional financing for our projects and our customers; (3) our ability to meet our cost reduction targets; (4) regulatory changes and the availability of economic incentives promoting use of solar energy; (5) challenges inherent in constructing and maintaining certain of our large projects, such as the California Valley Solar Ranch and Solar Star; (6) the success of our ongoing research and development efforts and commercialization of new products and services; (7) fluctuations in our operating results; (8) manufacturing difficulties that could arise; and (9) challenges managing our joint ventures. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is included in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from time to time, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor Relations website at investors.sunpowercorp.com. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About SunPower's Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement its consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, SunPower uses non-GAAP measures which are adjusted from the most directly comparable GAAP results for certain items, as described below. Management does not consider these items in evaluating the core operational activities of SunPower. The specific non-GAAP measures listed below are gross margin, operating income (loss), net income (loss) per share, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and free cash flow. Management believes that each of these non-GAAP measures (gross margin, operating income (loss), net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and free cash flow) are useful to investors by enabling them to better assess changes in each of these key elements of SunPower's results of operations across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of certain items as described below. Thus, each of these non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with another method for assessing SunPower's operating results in a manner that is focused on its ongoing core operating performance, absent the effects of these items. Management also uses these non-GAAP measures internally to assess the business and financial performance of current and historical results, for strategic decision making, forecasting future results and evaluating the company's current performance. Many of the analysts covering SunPower also use these non-GAAP measures in their analyses. Given management's use of these non-GAAP measures, SunPower believes these measures are important to investors in understanding SunPower's current and future operating results as seen through the eyes of management. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with or an alternative for GAAP financial data, the non-GAAP measures should be reviewed together with the GAAP measures and are not intended to serve as a substitute for results under GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies.

• Non-GAAP gross margin. The use of this non-GAAP financial measure allows management to evaluate the gross margin of SunPower's core businesses and trends across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of charges including gain on contract termination, stock-based compensation, non-cash interest expense and other items as described below. In addition, the presentation of non-GAAP gross margin includes the revenue recognition of utility and power plant projects on a non-GAAP basis. This non-GAAP financial measure is an important component of management's internal performance measurement process as it is used to assess the current and historical financial results of the business, for strategic decision making, preparing budgets and forecasting future results. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to evaluate SunPower's revenue generation performance relative to the direct costs of revenue of its core businesses.
• Non-GAAP operating income (loss). The use of this non-GAAP financial measure allows management to evaluate the operating results of SunPower's core businesses and trends across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of charges including gain on contract termination, stock-based compensation, non-cash interest expense, restructuring charges, and other items as described below. In addition, the presentation of non-GAAP operating income (loss) includes the revenue recognition of utility and power plant projects on a non-GAAP basis. Non-GAAP operating income (loss) is an important component of management's internal performance measurement process as it is used to assess the current and historical financial results of the business, for strategic decision making, preparing budgets and forecasting future results. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to understand the results of operations of SunPower's core businesses and to compare results of operations on a more consistent basis against that of other companies in the industry.
• Non-GAAP net income (loss) per share. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to assess SunPower's operating results and trends across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of items including gain on contract termination, stock-based compensation, non-cash interest expense, restructuring charges, other items as described below, and the tax effects of these non-GAAP adjustments. In addition, the presentation of non-GAAP net income (loss) includes the revenue recognition of utility and power plant projects on a non-GAAP basis. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to compare SunPower's operating results on a more consistent basis against that of other companies in the industry.
• EBITDA. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to assess SunPower's operating results and trends across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, independent of items including gain on contract termination, stock-based compensation, non-cash interest expense, restructuring charges, cash interest expense, net of interest income, provision for income taxes, depreciation, and other items as described below. In addition, the presentation of EBITDA includes the revenue recognition of utility and power plant projects on a non-GAAP basis. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to compare SunPower's operating results on a more consistent basis against that of other companies in the industry.
• Free cash flow. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to assess SunPower's operating results and trends across different reporting periods on a consistent basis, inclusive of lease financing as described below. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to compare SunPower's operating results on a more consistent basis against that of other companies in the industry.

Included items

• Utility and power plant projects. The company includes adjustments to non-GAAP revenue and non-GAAP cost of revenue related to the utility and power plant projects based on the separately identifiable components of the transactions in order to reflect the substance of the transactions. Such treatment is consistent with accounting rules under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). On a GAAP basis, such revenue and costs of revenue are accounted for under U.S. GAAP real estate accounting guidance. Management calculates separate revenue and cost of revenue amounts each fiscal period in accordance with the two treatments above and the aggregate difference for the company's affected projects is included in the relevant reconciliation tables below. Over the life of each project, cumulative revenue and gross margin will be equivalent between the two treatments; however, revenue and gross margin will generally be recognized earlier under the company's non-GAAP treatment than under the company's GAAP treatment. Among other factors, this is due to the attribution of non-GAAP revenue and margin to the company's project development efforts at the time of initial project sale as required under IFRS accounting rules whereas no separate attribution to this element occurs under U.S. GAAP real estate accounting guidance. Within each project, the relationship between the adjustments to revenue and gross margins are generally consistent. However, as the company may have multiple utility and power plant projects in progress at any given time, the relationship in the aggregate will occasionally appear otherwise. Management presents this non-GAAP financial measure to enable investors and analysts to evaluate SunPower's revenue generation performance relative to the direct costs of revenue of its core businesses.
• Free cash flow adjustments. Specifically to calculate free cash flow, the company includes the impact during the period of the following items:
  • Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
  • Proceeds from residential lease financing
  • Proceeds from sale-leaseback financing
  • Contributions from noncontrolling interests
  • Repayment of sale-leaseback financing

Excluded Items

• Gain on contract termination. During the third quarter of fiscal 2013, SunPower agreed to terminate a contract with one of the company's suppliers. As a result, SunPower recorded a gain associated with the non-cash forfeiture of a previously recorded advance from the supplier. As this gain is non-recurring in nature, excluding this data provides investors with a basis to compare the company's performance against the performance of other companies without similar impacts.
• Stock-based compensation. Stock-based compensation relates primarily to SunPower stock awards such as restricted stock. Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense that varies in amount from period to period and is dependent on market forces that are difficult to predict. As a result of this unpredictability, management excludes this item from its internal operating forecasts and models. Management believes that non-GAAP measures adjusted for stock-based compensation provide investors with a basis to measure the company's core performance against the performance of other companies without the variability created by stock-based compensation.
• Non-cash interest expense. SunPower separately accounted for the fair value liabilities of the embedded cash conversion option and the over-allotment option on its 4.5% senior cash convertible debentures issued in 2010 as an original issue discount and a corresponding derivative conversion liability. As a result, SunPower incurs interest expense that is substantially higher than interest payable on its 4.5% senior cash convertible debentures. SunPower excludes non-cash interest expense because the expense is not reflective of its ongoing financial results in the period incurred. In addition, in connection with the Liquidity Support Agreement with Total executed on February 28, 2012, the company issued warrants to Total to acquire 9,531,677 shares of its common stock. The fair value of the warrants is recorded as debt issuance costs and amortized over the expected life of the agreement. As a result, SunPower incurs non-cash interest expense associated with the amortization of the warrants. Excluding this data provides investors with a basis to compare the company's performance against the performance of other companies without non-cash interest expense.
• Restructuring charges. In October 2012, the company's Board of Directors approved a reorganization to accelerate operating cost reduction and improve overall operating efficiency (the October 2012 Restructuring Plan). Restructuring charges are excluded from non-GAAP financial measures because they are not considered core operating activities and such costs have historically occurred infrequently. Although SunPower has engaged in restructuring activities in the past, each has been a discrete event based on a unique set of business objectives. As such, management believes that it is appropriate to exclude restructuring charges from SunPower's non-GAAP financial measures as they are not reflective of ongoing operating results or contribute to a meaningful evaluation of a company's past operating performance.
• Other. Beginning with the first quarter of fiscal 2013 the company has combined amounts previously disclosed under separate captions. These amounts were previously disclosed under one of the following captions:
  • Goodwill and other intangible asset impairment
  • Amortization of intangible assets
  • Restructuring charges (related to actions prior to the October 2012 Restructuring Plan)
  • Charges on manufacturing step reduction plan
  • Non-recurring idle equipment impairment
  • Class action settlement
  • Acquisition and integration costs
  • Change in European government incentives
  • Gain (loss) on mark-to-market derivative instruments
  • Gain on share lending arrangement
  • Gain on sale of equity interest in unconsolidated investee

The adjustments recorded in "Other" for the third quarter of fiscal 2013 are primarily driven by adjustments which would have previously been disclosed under "Restructuring charges."

• Tax effect. This amount is used to present each of the amounts described above on an after-tax basis with the presentation of non-GAAP net income (loss) per share. The company's non-GAAP tax amount is based on estimated cash tax expense and reserves. This approach is designed to enhance the ability of investors to understand the company's tax expense on its current operations, provide improved modeling accuracy, and substantially reduce fluctuations caused by GAAP to non-GAAP adjustments which may not reflect actual cash tax expense. The company forecasts its annual cash tax liability and allocates the tax to each quarter in proportion to earnings for that period.
• EBITDA adjustments. Specifically to calculate EBITDA, in addition to adjustments previously described above, the company excludes the impact during the period of the following items:
  • Cash interest expense, net of interest income
  • Provision for income taxes
  • Depreciation

For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures" set forth at the end of this release and which should be read together with the preceding financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.