A.I.M. Users Bulletin Board

[Toofuzzy]

OT POST:

I have been following a company called Astropower (APWR) for a few years now waiting for the stock price,my cash, and the stars to align before investing.

I am trying to understand why the stock dropped 10% in price on Friday.For the past few months it has been less volitile and trading in a range. Holding up well as the price of other companies dropped.

Maybe someone can give me an explaination on a technical analisis basis and a fundamental analisis basis.

On a fundamental basis they make solar electric pannels (a growing industry for which there is more demand than supply)and have been growing sales and earnings 30 - 50% /year except for one quarter about a year ago when they settled a lawsuit. They have been putting all their earnings into increasing production.If (any crystal balls out there)this continues the stock is a screaming buy.

They are the largest independant producer of photovoltaics and actually make money doing it unlike the companies subsidized by their oil company owners. They do this by using the silicon ingots that are not pure enough for the semiconductor industry and would be waste otherwise.

I am wondering what I do not know about the company that has not been made public yet.(like Enron etc)

From a technical analisis standpoint (which I think is voodoo, I would always be wipsawed by following price charts)the stock has been less volitile lately and has been in a trading range and has NOT been trending upward. Maybe some one can read something into it and suggest how to determine a good entry point if any.

The only reason that I can think of that will create a problem that will show up in the future is that the semiconductor industry is SO bad that the amount of defective silicone ingots is reduced limitting the supply of raw materials for the photovoltaic industry which will reduce the future sales and earnings growth in the near future.I have not seen any news stories about this though.

For you electrical engineers out there:
I have been getting all my electricity from a 200W photovoltaic system which after all the efficiency losses are figured in probably lets me use about 500W / day (1 100w lightbulb running for 5 hrs/ day).You quickly learn that it is cheaper to spend gobs of money if necessary to reduce the demand rather than the supply but in most cases the choice is between a 13in color TV that draws 100w or a 13in black and white TV that costs less, is designed to run on 12 volt and draws 10 watts. One of thoes 60 inch color jobs is so gouche!!!

waiting for the other shoe to drop
Toofuzzy