ASTI

[David Randolph]

Thanks for posting the news jorgegr

• Ascent Solar Updates SEC Filings to Transition From Form SB-2 to Streamlined Form S-3
Business Wire (Thu 5:07pm)

This is good news, it shows nobody is in a hurry to convert warrants into shares to sell them in the open market. And that ASTI doesn't need cash right away. They're taking the best step for the long term interests of the company and common shareholders.

On another note, a company's director was active buying 57,900 shares in the open market on Wednesday. 

Considering these two pieces of information, FSLR's valuation and yesterday's market action, I can say that I have little doubts that we'll see ASTI above $30 a share before 2007 closes. Prepare for another "white soldier" today.

I'll continue holding ASTI for the long term.

[jimsaav]

           Guys check out this website...http://www.hydro.com/en/Press-room/Videos/Thinking-Ahead/

[la-onda]

Sector Snap: Solar-Power Stocks Drop
Friday October 19, 12:58 pm ET
China Sunergy Leads a Sell-Off in Solar-Power Shares As Investors Consider Supply Issues

NEW YORK (AP) -- Solar-power stocks slid Friday as investors put more weight on cautious statements about polysilicon supplies than positive notes on SunPower Corp.'s earnings report.
Surging demand for polysilicon -- the key component of solar wafers as well as semiconductors -- has caused prices to rise dramatically and made its availability limited.

China Sunergy Co. led the sell-off Friday, with a drop of $1.54, or 12.5 percent, to $10.79 in afternoon trading. Allen Wang, the company's chief executive, said Thursday he had a "cautious" outlook for the rest of 2007 due to tight supplies and a rise in wafer pricing because of polysilicon issues. SunPower Corp. shares fell modestly although several analysts raised price targets and forecast strong growth for the company, following its third-quarter earnings report. SunPower, the largest pure-play solar company based in the U.S., also said it is attempting to create solar cells using less than 6 grams of polysilicon per watt and has mass-produced a solar panel that harnesses more power from the sun. Such advances could make products less costly by using less polysilicon and more desirable for consumers who want more efficient panels. SunPower shares fell 6 cents to $96.95 after reaching a 52-week high of $98.17 earlier in the day.

LDK Solar Co. also fell sharply, amid continued uncertainty about its polysilicon supplies. Its former financial controller accused the company of inflating inventory reports several weeks ago. LDK has repeatedly denied the allegations, but has not released any public statements since a Wall Street Journal article on Thursday said an internal conference call showed other executives also questioned its polysilicon inventory. LDK shares fell $3.38, or 8.1 percent, to $38.15 in afternoon trading.

Suntech Power Holdings Co. emerged as one of the few solar companies making gains after the company reported a wafer supply contract with ReneSola Ltd. on Thursday.

Cowen and Co. analyst Rob Stone said the deal will allow Suntech to increase production with "less dilution" of gross profit margin, since buying polysilicon under contract is cheaper than spot purchases. Suntech shares lifted 55 cents to $47.23.

ASTI Insider selling:
http://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/1350102.htm

but:
Total buy: $9,422,804, total sale: $1,173,398, net total:  plus $8,249,406.

[David Randolph]

Guys check out this website...http://www.hydro.com/en/Press-room/Videos/Thinking-Ahead/

Thanks jimsaav, nice video

Hi La-onda, well, that polysilicon supply problem should bode well for HOKU, since it is a polysilicon maker, but the stock went down a bit on Friday nonetheless.

I'm not sure if ASTI's technology uses polysilicon, that will be something to investigate for the next update.

Prepare for another "white soldier" today.

No white soldier at all on Friday, in fact, ASTI fell 11%

But I believe that was due to factors outside of the company's prospects, it had to do with the general market's steep fall and that ASTI had been up 30% plus over the previous couple of sessions. It was a strong profit taking day, but without much meaning for the long term outlook of this investment.

In fact I still believe that with the news expected to be released after December 13 (NHY actually increasing its stake to 35%) we'll still see ASTI above $30 in 2007.

[David Randolph]

ASTI will participate in a conference in November 7th:

• Ascent Solar to Present at Pacific Growth Equities 2007 Clean Technology & Industrial Growth Conference
Business Wire (Wed 6:00am)

It will be nice to have some more information ... perhaps even some estimates on the company's products market potential.

In terms of "immediate" revenues we just have the following press release:

• Ascent Solar and Hydro Building Systems to Launch Brise Soleil Product Line
Business Wire (Tue, Sep 18)

«The dedicated focus of the HBS solar solutions is underlined by their intention to start selling solar products beginning in 2008.»

«Our Brise Soleil system analysis shows energy savings over 60% are possible and with the addition of photovoltaics, the combined effect on energy consumption will be very significant. The Ascent Solar flexible thin film photovoltaic modules provide a simple, elegant and architecturally attractive means to incorporate photovoltaics into buildings."»

«Ascent Solar Business Development Vice President Joseph McCabe stated "By exploiting our material's unique ability to conform into Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) products become an, Ascent Solar is opening many new opportunities for solar applications when compared to more traditional roof-top or solar farm installations. BIPV products become integral part of the building structure rather than an additional bolt-on attachment. This not only reduces the installation cost but provides additional surface area to generate more power. The beauty in the flexible thin film materials is that we can address both the traditional PV market applications and create entirely new markets where traditional rigid frame PV cannot even play."»

This is definitely the future and the best is, I'm not the one saying it, we have NHY ... ooopss, what happened to NHY?



Well, the situation is complex, but I guess the fall had to do with a merger with another Norwegian company, which is Statoil. I've also seen information that NHY is going to delist from the NYSE and just list in Oslo and London:

• Hydro to Terminate New York Stock Exchange Listing
PrimeNewswire (Tue 2:17am)

Perhaps this announcement was the cause for ASTI's decline yesterday, but there's no reason for it. If anything, NHY will be even bigger now that it merged with Statoil, and I don't think there will be a change to the company's plans regarding ASTI's investment.

I'll keep investigating this issue and I'll continue holding ASTI for the long term.

[wrangler]

ASTI
ASTIZ
Two differant tickers and two differant prices but same company. Don't understand. What does the Z mean in the second one?

[David Randolph]

Nothing new for ASTI ... I still have this "secret expectation/hope" that we'll be around $30 before 2008 begins, and NHY increasing its stake to 35% after December 13 should provide a nice catalyst.

I'll continue holding ASTI for the long term.

[David Randolph]

The merger between Norsk Hydro and Statoil only relates to the oil & gas businesses:

Norway's Statoil and Norsk Hydro merge to create world leader
Tuesday December 19, 2006, 3:41 am

«OSLO (AFP) - The Norwegian oil company Statoil is to acquire the oil and gas activities of Norsk Hydro, creating the world's largest offshore production group in a deal worth an estimated 23 billion euros (30 billion dollars).

Meanwhile, Norsk Hydro, the world's third largest aluminium company, will continue to operate in the metals sector under its existing name.»

I think Hydro Building Systems didn't merge with Statoil:

«About Hydro:

Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Hydro is a leading offshore producer of oil and gas and is the third-largest integrated aluminum supplier in the world. Hydro also holds a particularly strong position in the field of applications for the building and construction industry. The Hydro Building Systems division is a leading global supplier of aluminum building systems, operating through three main product brands; DOMAL, TECHNAL, and WICONA. The range of products includes window, door and walling systems, facades, partition and also different sun-shading systems such as a wide range of casement shutters and brise soleil. Please visit Hydro's website for additional information at www.hydro.com.»

Over the next few updates I'll study some more about Hydro Building Systems specifically.

I'll continue holding ASTI for the long term.

[labatts6254]

ASTIZ are warrants for the ASTI stock; which are similar to options; however the company itself issues the warrants rather than a stock holder.  They will have a "strike price" just like an option; you'll have to check the SEC filings for the warrants to find out their true value.

ASTI
ASTIZ
Two differant tickers and two differant prices but same company. Don't understand. What does the Z mean in the second one?

[wrangler]

Thanks labatts6254 for the reply
Didn't understand why two differant charts and prices but they both had same chart set-up

[David Randolph]

It seems production is scheduled to start in Q1 2008:

«Ascent Solar intends to be the first company to manufacture large, roll format, PV modules in commercial quantities that use a highly efficient thin-film Copper-Indium-Gallium-diSelenide ("CIGS") absorbing layer on a flexible high-temperature plastic substrate. We have produced and tested small-scale demonstration samples of our CIGS PV products at the laboratory level, but we have not yet produced any products in commercial quantities, nor have we yet received any revenues from the proposed products that we intend to commercialize as our principal business activity. We currently are establishing a 500kW/yr per shift (1.5MW) pilot-scale production line that is on schedule to begin operations in the first quarter of 2008. Successful performance of the pilot production line should prove out the manufacturing processes, products, and market acceptance to enable us to transition into large full-scale, commercial manufacturing of our CIGS PV products.»

Class B warrants can start being converted into common shares:

PROSPECTUS

This will bring $75 M plus to ASTI and is another guarantee that the company is well funded to build the factories needed for commercial production of their "CIGS PV products." 

I think we'll see $30 a share over the next six months, and a lot more over the long term.

[David Randolph]

The Hydro Building Systems division is a leading global supplier of aluminum building systems, operating through three main product brands; DOMAL, TECHNAL, and WICONA.

Here's Domal's website. Technal website and Wicona.

And what about Brise Soleil products? Check these images.

Now consider the following press release:

• Ascent Solar and Hydro Building Systems to Launch Brise Soleil Product Line
Business Wire (Tue, Sep 18)

And this was just out:

• Hydro to Showcase Ascent Solar Integrated Solar Solutions at Batimat 2007
Business Wire (Thu 6:00am)

As ASTI's CEO says in the video, "Ascent was a very small company and now we have a global reach".

I'm pretty certain ASTI will be a multi-billion dollar company in the not so distant future. I'll keep holding ASTI for the long term.

[David Randolph]

The links in yesterday's update tell us ASTI's technology is not only better, it costs less than current PV technologies to produce energy from the sun light.

Whatever happens to the general market, I have no doubts ASTI's value will rise over the long term.

I'll continue holding ASTI.

[David Randolph]

Batimat expo is starting today in Paris:

«The prototype "solar systems" are among the collection of new products that Hydro will showcase at the international building exhibition, which begins November 5 and continues through November 10 at the Paris Expo.»

I wonder if there will be some photographs or videos showing the products to investors. I wish I could go to Paris for this expo (of course, not just that, my kids would love to visit EuroDisney), but with kid's schools and all, I can't.

ASTI, like IMMR, don't even have a "valuation model", because their potential is unknown, we just know that it is huge. It would be a crime to sell any of these stocks with just, say, 100% profit, these are the ultimate multi-baggers, not to be sold in any circumstance before their full potential is known and explored.

[David Randolph]

I got just a little bit scared when I saw the following SEC 424B3 form.

But then I was relieved to see it was for just 40,000 shares, an insignificant amount (which I wouldn't mind owning ):



ASTI closed at a new all time high yesterday. I think that, with some powerful positive news to be released in December (NHY increasing its ASTI stake to 35% and ASTI receiving $75 M from the warrants B conversion), we have a good chance of seeing this baby close 2007 around $30 a share. Anybody who knows this company's story will fall in love with it.

I'll keep holding ASTI for the long term.