SMA Solar’s Q1/2021 Sales Drop, EBITDA Up 

German Solar PV Inverter Supplier SMA Solar Technology Blames COVID-19 & Module Price Increase For Lower Sales In Q1/2021; Reiterates Annual Guidance For 2021 Pinning Hopes On Europe & America Markets

SMA Solar’s Q1/2021 Sales Drop, EBITDA Up 

SMA Solar Technology’s Q1/2021 shipments were a total of 3.4 GW. While it did not experience any component shortage during the reporting quarter, the management said it is watchful of the situation as continued supply constraints may delay some projects. (Source: SMA Solar Technology AG)

  • SMA Solar’s annual sales in Q1/2021 declined 17% annually to €240 million as its orders faced COVID-19 related challenges and PV module price rise
  • Geographically APAC region led 52% of its sales during the reporting quarter
  • Its order backlog grew 5% on annual basis to €836 million till Q1/2021-end, which covers close to 60% of its annual sales guidance
  • Management has confirmed annual sales and EBITDA guidance for 2021 as it expects Europe and Americas markets to do well

Order postponement due to COVID-19 related challenges and an increase in the price of PV modules were largely responsible for a 17% annual dip in Q1/2021 sales for German solar PV inverter supplier SMA Solar Technology AG, as the management reported €240 million for the reporting quarter saying it was in line with expectations.

The major capacity was contributed by the large scale and project solutions business with €103 million, followed by its home solutions business adding €76 million, and business solutions another €61 million. It was only the home solutions business that grew from last year by 6%.

In terms of geographical contribution, 52% sales were contributed by the APAC region, followed by 36% from the Americas region, and 12% from APAC.

SMA Solar sold 3.4 GW worth of inverter capacity during the reporting quarter compared to 4.4 GW it sold in Q1/2020 (see SMA Solar Sold 4.4 GW Inverters In Q1/2020).

Nonetheless, its EBITDA improved 63% to €20 million on YoY basis which it said was driven by portfolio and cost improvements in its gross margin, while net income was €8 million, compared to none a year back. Order backlog for the inverter manufacturer increased to €836 million as on March 31, 2021, reflecting a growth of 5% compared to last year. Management shared that Q1/2021 sales and current product order backlog secures it close to 60% of 2021 annual sales guidance.

It confirmed that so far it is not impacted by the shortage of electronic components, but is keeping a ‘close eye on the currently tight situation’ as supply constraints may lead to projects being postponed, but SMA Solar expects the situation to improve over the next months.

Going forward, the management has reiterated its annual forecast for 2021 for sales to be between €1.075 billion to €1.175 billion, and EBITDA between €75 million and €95 million, as it sees the company benefiting from expected growth of the PV markets in Europe and America, as well as the global storage market. Cost reduction measures and continuous improvement in product portfolio will also help improve profitability, according to the company.

“The most recent political signals are extremely encouraging for medium- to long-term market developments. The EU has confirmed its commitment to a 55% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. For the US, President Biden has announced an infrastructure program entailing major investment in a more climate-friendly economy,” said SMA Solar CEO Jürgen Reinert. “The home turf of Germany is also an attractive market for the company as the government increases installation targets.”

About The Author

Anu Bhambhani

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Anu is our solar news whirlwind. At TaiyangNews, she covers everything that is of importance in the world of solar power. In the past 9 years that she has been associated with TaiyangNews, she has covered over thousands of stories, and analysis pieces on markets, technology, financials, and more on a daily basis. She also hosts TaiyangNews Conferences and Webinars. Prior to joining TaiyangNews, Anu reported on sustainability, management, and education for leading print dailies in India. [email protected]

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