Solar Stocks' Short Interest React to Chinese Government (CSIQ, FSLR, GTAT, WFR, SPWR, JASO, LDK, STP, TSL, YGE)

We have tracked the short interest in the following North American Solar companies as of November 30th: Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ); First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR); GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTAT); MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR); and Sunpower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR). In the Chinese solar sector we tracked the following short interest changes: JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO); LDK Solar Co. Inc. (NYSE: LDK), Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP); Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL); and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE).

For China-based firms, the percentage of shares short is not available because the companies are also listed on other exchanges.

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) saw short interest fall 15.3% to 2.57 million shares, 8.5% of the company's total float.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) short interest fall by 4.8% to 24.64 million shares, which represents 41% of the company's float.

GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTAT) showed an increase of 1% in short interest, to 38.05 million shares, about 32.2% of GT's float.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR) showed a decline of 11.1% in short interest, to 21.52 million shares, about 9.4% of MEMC's float.

Sunpower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) saw short interest fall by 1.2% to 4.55 million shares, 11.4% of the company's total float.

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) showed an increase of 7.7% in short interest, to 1.93 million shares.

LDK Solar Co. Inc. (NYSE: LDK) saw short interest drop 12% to 6.08 million shares.

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP) showed a drop of 2.4% in short interest, to 21.96 million shares.

Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) saw short interest rise 10.7% to 16.62 million shares.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE) showed a rise of 0.8% in short interest, to 5.6 million shares.

The major change among solar players is the announcement from the Chinese government that it will "reform" the industry by encouraging mergers and acquisitions, and by banning local governments from propping up local favorites with loans. This breathed some life back into LDK Solar, although the government has not been specific about which companies will last and which ones won't.

Paul Ausick

Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Alternative Energy, Green Biz, Short Interest, Technology Companies Tagged: CSIQ, FSLR, GTAT, JASO, LDK, SPWR, STP, TSL, WFR, YGE