Solar: Impressive Performance in the Face of Tough Markets

In the face of four major market corrections (flash crash of ‘15, ‘18 EOY slide, Pandemic of ’20, & ’22 correction), the Invesco Solar ETF (TAN - Free Report) has produced returns of nearly 400% over the past 10 years.

What is Driving the Performance of Solar Stocks?

The solar industry has benefitted from several tailwinds in recent years, including:

·      Wider Adoption: A growing number of developing nations worldwide are adopting solar amid environmental concerns.

·      Technological Improvements: Advancements in solar technology, such as higher efficiency, upgraded energy storage means, and lower prices, drive adoption even further.

·      Global Energy Consumption: As developing nations consume more energy, alternative energy sources can help with supply.

Below are 3 solar stocks poised to move higher in 2023:

Array Technologies (ARRY - Free Report) manufactures ground-mounting systems used in solar energy products. What makes the stock attractive is:

·      Recent Insider Buys: No one knows more about a stock than its insiders. While insiders may sell shares of stock for various reasons (they need cash, are exercising options, etc.), they only buy for one reason – they believe shares will move higher. Over the past year, three insiders purchased more than $100,000 worth of stock in the open market, including the CEO, who bought a half million dollars worth of stock in July.

·      Tendency to Beat EPS Estimates: Though ARRY holds a mid-tier Zack’s Rank of 3, the stock has surprised to the upside on EPS every quarter since going public outside of one.

·      Triple-digit Revenue Growth: Few stocks in the market exhibit this type of healthy growth.

Jinko Solar (JKS - Free Report) is a Chinese-based solar manufacturer. What makes the stock attractive is:

·      High Zack’s Rank: JKS sports a best-possible Zack’s Rank of 1. Stocks with high Zack’s Ranks tend to outperform.

·      Strong Fourth Quarter Results: EPS rose from $0.05 in Q4 2021 to $0.90 in Q4 2022.

·      China Exposure: China has shown outstanding strength thus far in 2023. The Ishares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI - Free Report) is up five weeks in a row.

First Solar (FSLR - Free Report) is a leading global provider of PV solar energy solutions. What makes the stock attractive is:

·      Liquidity: Institutions tend to have the largest bearing on the movement of stocks. Large institutions such as pension funds, banks, and hedge funds require high liquidity. First Solar has a market cap of $19 billion and trades nearly 2.8 million shares per day on average.

·      Low Beta: Although FSLR is a member of the high-flying solar group, it has a relatively low beta (1.30) compared to its peers – meaning it does not swing wildly. Low-beta stocks tend to be easier to hold than high-beta.

·      Relative Strength: FSLR has been one of the strongest trending stocks in any industry group over the past year. While most solar stocks are well off their highs, FSLR is just 3.2% off its 52-week high and was recently supported at its 50-day moving average.

Takeaway

Expect solar stocks to continue their momentum in 2023. ARRY, JKS, and FSLR offer investors attractive opportunities. However, investors who want to play the industry as a whole with less volatility should opt for shares in the Solar ETF TAN.

Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.

This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>