Category Archives: oud

3D Printer Market Braces For Earnings From 3D Systems Amid Tumult

3D Systems ( DDD ) is set to report first-quarter earnings Thursday, followed by rival Stratasys ( SSYS ) next Monday, likely providing a clearer indication of whether the runup in both stocks this year — or the more recent downturn — is justified. The consensus on 3D Systems is for revenue of $156.3 million, down 3% year over year, and earnings per share minus items of 5 cents, flat, as polled by Thomson Reuters. Shares of 3D Systems and Stratasys were hammered in 2015, as both posted quarter after quarter of disappointing earnings and sales. Stratasys stock, however, has nearly doubled since hitting a six-year low of 14.88 three months ago, and 3D Systems has more than doubled since hitting a five-year low of 6 three months ago. Both stocks, though, have faded in the past week. And 3D Systems shares were near 15, down 3%, in midday trading in the stock market today . Stratasys stock, too, was down nearly 3% midday Wednesday, near 22. The rise of both stocks most of this year was partly fueled by Q4 earnings from both companies that beat expectations, raising hopes the top-two 3D printer makers are poised for a rebound. But 3D Systems and Stratasys executives took a cautious tone about the road ahead. 3D Systems got a bounce when it announced Vyomesh Joshi as CEO on April 4. Joshi had been executive vice president of the imaging and printing business of HP Inc. ( HPQ ), formerly part of Hewlett-Packard before its split. HP plans to enter the 3D printer market this year. Needham analyst James Ricchiuti last week lowered his rating on 3D Systems to hold from buy, “as shares might be pricing in too much,” he wrote. “Notwithstanding solid sequential improvement in Q4 from the publicly traded 3D printing companies, we believe business remains challenging, compounded by the normal seasonal weakness experienced in the March quarter,” Ricchiuti wrote. 3D printer makers  ExOne ( XONE ) and Voxeljet ( VJET ) are set to report earnings on May 11 and May 13, respectively, both before the market open.

Can Tesla ‘Cousin’ SolarCity Hold Above Key Level Before Earnings?

After testing support at a key level in Tuesday’s session, SolarCity ( SCTY ) is trying to hold above that mark in the stock market today , ahead of its quarterly report next Monday. The stock rose nearly 5% Wednesday morning on a bullish analyst rating, but it reversed lower amid a market sell-off. SolarCity is now mostly unchanged, with the stock trading in quick turnover. A gain would end a four-session slide, with shares bouncing back from a test of support at their 50-day line. The stock is trading more than 50% below its 52-week high, as the shares have been scorched in recent months by Nevada’s new net-metering rules. Guggenheim initiated coverage on the solar panel installer with a buy rating and a price target of 38. On Monday, Credit Suisse cut its price target on SolarCity from 89 to 62 while maintaining its outperform rating. When it reports after the close next Monday, SolarCity is expected to report a 61% revenue rise, while its per-share loss widens to $2.34 a share from $1.52 a share last year. SolarCity’s “cousin company”  Tesla Motors ( TSLA ) — which is helmed by SolarCity Chairman Elon Musk — reports after the close tonight, Wednesday evening. Tesla shares are down nearly 2% intraday, falling just below their 50-day line but still just above their 200-day. Tesla is projected to show a widened bottom-line loss on sales growth of 45% as the automaker ramps up Model X production. Tesla’s Powerwall battery storage units are now beginning residential installations. SolarCity, whose founders are Musk’s cousins, is incorporating the Tesla batteries into its own energy storage system. Meanwhile, SolarCity rival Sunrun ( RUN ) reports earnings next Thursday. The August 2015 IPO’s sales are projected to come in at $83.4 million, down 16% from Q4, while its loss deepens from last quarter to 53 cents a share. Sunrun is up nearly 60% from its February low, but it is still nearly 50% below its all-time high reached in December. Sunrun rose fractionally Wednesday intraday. Elsewhere in the solar panel space, Solaredge ( SEDG ) fell 4.5%, and First Solar ( FSLR ) retreated by 1.7%. First Solar has lost 16% in five days since reporting weaker-than-expected revenue last week.