Zacks Analyst Interview Highlights: JA Solar, Canadian Solar and Energy Conversion Devices

Zacks Analyst Interview Highlights: JA Solar, Canadian Solar and Energy Conversion Devices

CHICAGO--March 3,2008 --Zacks.com releases the latest Analyst Interview. Today’s interview is with senior analyst Jon Kolb, who discusses JA Solar (Nasdaq: JASO), Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) and Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq: ENER).

A synopsis of today’s Analyst Interview is presented below. The full article can be read at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2678.

Which are a few of your top Buys at the present time?

In late November of last year, we upgraded shares of Chinese solar panel maker JA Solar (Nasdaq: JASO) from Hold to Buy, and put on a target price of $22.50. JASO’s significant upswing following its February 2007 IPO remains a compelling growth story in clean energy, although the stock was down over 5% in a down day in the market Friday.

Capacity expansions and committed supply of key raw materials at JA Solar will continue to fuel growth. Strong earnings growth, coupled with a well-diversified customer base makes JASO one of the fastest-growing alternative energy stocks. Material cost savings through the company’s long-term supply agreement will also boost margins.

On the same day we upgraded JASO, we upgraded Canadian Solar (Nasdaq: CSIQ) to a Buy. Generally, it was for many of the same industry-wide strength reasons, but in Canadian Solar’s case, precipitous decline following its November 2006 IPO have reversed course strongly upward. After a gap of 3 consecutive quarters, the company reported positive operating income.

So two alt-energy Buys, but neither are U.S.-based companies.

Well, there’s always Michigan-based Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq: ENER). We remain optimistic about this company’s long-term potential success in the industry, given increased activity in solar power projects and progress towards sustainable profitability in late 2008. The company is developing and expanding its solar business while exiting other non-core businesses.

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