Solarfun Reports 2007 Full-Year and Fourth Quarter Results

Thursday March 27 11:04 PM

Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. ("Solarfun" or "the Company") (NASDAQ:SOLF), a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots and photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules in China, today reported its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2007.

2007 ANNUAL RESULTS

* Net revenue was RMB 2.395 billion (US$ 328.3 million), up 280% from 2006

* Total PV module shipments as reported were 78.4 MW, up 310% from 19.1 MW in 2006 (Note: Full year shipments were actually 80.6 MW. However, due to certain conditions which require future deliveries of products in order to secure payment for the shipments made in 4Q07, we have deferred revenue recognition until the future deliveries have been made and the cash has been collected.)

* The average selling price was $3.74 for 2007

* Gross profit reached RMB 397.8 million (US$54.5 million), rising over 116% from 2006

* Gross margins reached 16.6% for the full year 2007, showing continuing improvement beginning in 2Q07

* Net income was RMB 148.0 million (US$20.3 million), rising 40% from 2006

* Earnings per basic ADS were RMB 3.081 (US$ 0.42), down from RMB 4.76(US$0.60) in 2006. There was a 132% increase in basic shares outstanding as a result of the Company's initial public offering in December 2006

Mr. Yonghua Lu, Chairman of Solarfun commented, "The year 2007 was a period of significant progress for the Company and I believe established a foundation for further growth in the burgeoning PV industry. Our financial results met our expectations and showed progress in key measures such as revenue and profit growth. They are also a reflection of our increased scale, vertical integration, broadened customer base, and successful ability to secure supply of key raw materials to meet our growth objectives."

"Specifically, we expanded manufacturing capacity to a year-end level of 240 MW, acquired and began production of ingots at our 52 %-owned ingot manufacturing facility - Jiangsu Yangguang Solar Technology Co. Ltd., increased our customer base more than six-fold, and signed five significant supply contracts totaling $1.4 billion, four of which were with suppliers outside of China."

"We also achieved a few other significant milestones over the past year. We significantly strengthened our senior management team with a group of executives with relevant industry experience and global expertise and improved our internal management structure and discipline to keep pace with our rapid growth. Additionally, we believe that the increased share ownership of Good Energies provides us with access to significant additional industry expertise and will contribute to the long-term success of our business," concluded Chairman Lu.

FOURTH QUARTER 2007 HIGHLIGHTS

* Net revenue was RMB 987.8 million (US$ 135.4 million), a 304% increase over 4Q06 and a 31% increase from the 3Q07

* PV module shipments as reported totaled 28.1 MW, which was nearly three times higher than 4Q06 and continued successive quarter-over-quarter shipment increases. Module shipments were 27.3 MW in 3Q07 (Note: 4Q07 shipments were actually 30 MW. However, as mentioned above, due to certain conditions which require future deliveries of products in order to secure payment for the shipments made in 4Q07, we have deferred revenue recognition until the future deliveries have been made and the cash has been collected.)

* The average selling price ("ASP") was $3.85, which rose from $3.66 in 3Q07

* Gross profit rose 45.3 % from 3Q07 to RMB 174.5 million (US$ 23.9 million)

* Gross margin reached 17.7%, the third consecutive quarter-over-quarter increase.

* Operating expenses as a percent of sales were 8.3%, which was a decrease from 12.4% in 4Q06, but a rise from 7.0% in 3Q07.

* Exchange losses of RMB 3.3 million (US $ 0.5 million) were up from RMB 2.2 million in 4Q06 and RMB 0.70 million in 3Q07.

* Net income was RMB 66.4 million (US$ 9.1 million), a rise of 101% over 4Q06.

* Earnings per basic ADS were RMB 1.38 (US$ 0.19), an increase of 4.2% from RMB 1.32 (US$ 0.18 in 3Q07.

Harold Hoskens, CEO of Solarfun, noted "The fourth quarter concluded an outstanding year for the Company with sequential momentum in shipments, ASP's and gross margins. We had a non-recurring trend of increased G&A expenses during the quarter, due largely to a ramp-up in our infrastructure costs, including the consolidation of Yangguang, legal expenses associated with becoming a public company, including SOX compliance and audit fees, as well as a larger management infrastructure and non-cash items such as stock-based compensation."

FINANCIAL POSITION

As of December 31, 2007 the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB 273 million (US$ 37.4 million) and working capital of RMB 959.8 million (US$ 131.6 million). Total bank borrowings were RMB 980 million (US$ 134.3 million). Note that on January 29, 2008 the Company placed US $172.5 million of Convertible Senior Notes due 2018.

Net accounts receivable decreased to RMB 430.69 million (US$ 59 million) due to continued focus on cash management practices. Days sales outstanding (DSO's) improved to 51 days from 62 days in 3Q07.

MANAGEMENT CHANGES

On January 3, 2008 the Company announced the appointment of Harold Hoskens as CEO beginning on February 25, 2008. Mr. Hoskens joins Solarfun from TPO Displays Corporation, Chunan, Taiwan, where he recently served as Deputy CEO. Harold began his career with Royal Philips in 1988, and moved to the Royal Philips' Mobile Display Systems (MDS) division in Hong Kong, serving as CEO beginning in 2003.

Mr Lu continues to serve as Chairman and will remain actively involved in areas of strategic importance to Solarfun.

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

FIRST QUARTER 2008

Based on current operating trends and other conditions, Solarfun is providing first quarter 2008 and full year 2008 guidance as follows:

* Although the first quarter is not yet concluded, management believes that shipments for 1Q08 will continue to improve. Volumes are expected to be at least 35 MW. ASP's should remain strong and relatively constant.

* The Company was affected by the winter weather in China in February and continues to be affected by the relatively tight supply and increasing costs of polysilicon. Therefore, management would expect these factors to have some downward pressure on gross margins for the first quarter of 2008.

FULL YEAR 2008

* Based on existing sales and pricing, contracted supply agreements, and other expected business and industry conditions, management provided the following guidance for the full year 2008: The Company has sales contracts totaling over 160 MW (a level that is over double last year's 78.4MW) and expects prices to be flat or slightly higher from the $3.74 recorded for the full year 2007. Solarfun has secured supply of polysilicon on a contracted basis slightly exceeding its contracted sales volume.

* Capacity will increase from 240 MW to 360 MW by mid-year 2008.

* Management has seen a continued tightness of polysilicon supply and escalating prices on the spot market. With these conditions expected to exist throughout most or all of 2008, management believes some continued negative impact on gross margins from the level achieved in 2007.

CEO Harold Hoskens concluded, "2008 is a mix of opportunities and challenges. We believe Solarfun is well-positioned to continue to gain market share, expand scale, improve our manufacturing efficiencies, penetrate new markets, and develop and expand our supply chain in both China and elsewhere. Our management team, Board of Directors, and key shareholders are determined and committed to building shareholder value over the long term "

Conference Call:

Management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:00 am U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 pm Shanghai time) on March 27, 2008.

The dial-in details for the live conference call are as follows:

         - U.S. Toll Free Number:        +1 877 847 0047
         - International dial-in number: +852 3006 8101
         - China Toll Free Number:       800 876 5011
           Passcode: Solarfun

A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at: http://www.solarfun.com.cn. A replay of the webcast will be available for one month.

A telephone replay of the call will be available for twenty-four hours after the conclusion of the conference call. The dial-in details for the replay are as follows:

         - U.S. Toll Free Number:        +1 877 847 0047
         - International dial-in number: +852 3006 8101
           Passcode: 280293

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:

                  SOLARFUN POWER HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 (Amounts in thousands of Renminbi ("RMB") and U.S. dollars ("US$"),
           except for number of shares and per share data)

                                   December 31 December 31 December 31
                                      2006        2007        2007
                                   (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
                                       RMB         RMB         US$
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents            1,137,792     272,928      37,415
Restricted cash                         33,822      42,253       5,792
Accounts receivable, net               147,834     430,692      59,043
Inventories, net                       372,504     728,480      99,866
Advance to suppliers                   238,178     640,118      87,752
Other current assets                    75,525     218,917      30,011
Deferred tax assets                      3,400       3,026         415
Amount due from related parties            153         920         126
Amount due from shareholders               578           -           -
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

    Total current assets             2,009,786   2,337,334     320,420
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Non-current assets
Fixed assets - net                     207,449     702,884      96,357
Intangible assets - net                 12,897      94,282      12,925
Deferred tax assets                          -       4,767         653
Long-term deferred expenses                  -     209,946      28,781
Long-term investment                       300         300          41
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------


    Total non-current assets           220,646   1,012,179     138,757
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

TOTAL ASSETS                         2,230,432   3,349,513     459,177
                                   =========== =========== ===========

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS'
 EQUITY
Current liabilities
Short-term bank borrowings             379,900     980,002     134,346
Long-term bank borrowings, current
 portion                                16,000           -           -
Accounts payable                        51,452     141,709      19,426
Notes payable                           14,020           -           -
Accrued expenses and other
 liabilities                            33,619     135,395      18,562
Customer deposits                           17      27,628       3,788
Amount due to related parties           32,058      92,739      12,713
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

    Total current liabilities          527,066   1,377,473     188,835
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Non-current liabilities
Long-term bank borrowings, non-
 current portion                        15,000           -           -
Deferred tax liability                       -       9,038       1,239
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

    Total non-current liabilities       15,000       9,038       1,239
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Commitments and contingencies

Minority interests                      10,151     100,420      13,766
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Shareholders' equity
Ordinary shares
(par value US$0.0001 per share;
 400,000,000 shares authorized;
 239,994,754 shares and
 241,954,744 issued and
 outstanding at December 31, 2006
 and 2007, respectively                    193         194          27
Additional paid-in capital           1,565,524   1,601,853     219,594
Statutory reserves                      16,024      37,548       5,147
Retained earnings                       96,474     222,987      30,569
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

    Total shareholders' equity       1,678,215   1,862,582     255,337
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND
 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY                2,230,432   3,349,513     459,177
                                   =========== =========== ===========

                  SOLARFUN POWER HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 (Amounts in thousands of Renminbi ("RMB") and U.S. dollars ("US$"),
           except for number of shares and per share data)


                                      For the three months ended
                                 December 31 September 30, December 31
                                    2006         2007         2007
                                 (Unaudited)  (Unaudited)  (Unaudited)
                                     RMB          RMB          RMB
Net revenue
Photovoltaic modules                 244,163       752,613     804,164
Photovoltaic cells                       558         1,227      50,025
Photovoltaic cells processing           (53)             -           -
PV modules processing                      -             -       5,876
Others                                     -             -     127,706
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Total net revenue                    244,668       753,840     987,771
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Cost of revenue
Photovoltaic modules               (178,626)     (632,643)   (653,667)
Photovoltaic cells                     (435)       (1,072)    (47,476)
Photovoltaic cells processing           (40)             -           -
PV modules processing                      -             -     (2,014)
Others                                     -             -   (110,110)
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Total cost of revenue              (179,101)     (633,715)   (813,267)
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Gross profit                          65,567       120,125     174,504
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Operating expenses
Selling expenses                     (5,860)      (20,158)    (23,167)
G&A expenses                        (20,629)      (28,971)    (50,153)
R&D expenses                         (3,800)       (3,277)     (8,506)
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

    Total operating expenses        (30,289)      (52,406)    (81,826)
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Operating profit                      35,278        67,719      92,678

Interest expenses                    (4,547)       (6,683)    (11,293)
Interest income                          834         4,333     (1,805)
Exchange losses                      (2,223)         (698)     (3,307)
Other income                             416         5,806     (7,552)
Other expenses                         (362)       (6,957)     (2,032)
Value of embedded foreign
 currency derivative                     919             -           -
Government grant                         212           700       1,369
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------


Net income (loss) before income
 tax and minority interest            30,527        64,220      68,058
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------


Income tax benefit / (expenses)        2,559       (1,331)     (3,814)
Minority interest                       (35)           686       2,199
                                 ----------- ------------- -----------

Net income (loss)                     33,051        63,575      66,443
                                 =========== ============= ===========


Net income attributable to
 ordinary shareholders                29,500        63,575      66,443
                                 =========== ============= ===========


Net income/ (loss) per share
Basic                                 0.2602        0.2649      0.2759
Diluted                               0.1760        0.2649      0.2759

Shares used in computation
Basic                            113,370,310   240,024,754 240,807,142
Diluted                          187,820,841   240,024,754 240,807,142


Net income/ (loss) per ADS
Basic                                 1.3010        1.3243      1.3796
Diluted                               0.8799        1.3243      1.3796

ADSs used in computation
Basic                             22,674,062    48,004,951  48,161,428
Diluted                           37,564,168    48,004,951  48,161,428


                                           For the years ended
                                   December 31 December 31 December 31
                                      2006        2007        2007
                                   (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
                                       RMB         RMB         USD
Net revenue
Photovoltaic modules                   604,317   2,209,514     302,897
Photovoltaic cells                       7,182      52,019       7,131
Photovoltaic cells processing           19,408           -           -
PV modules processing                        -       5,876         806
Others                                       -     127,726      17,510
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Total net revenue                      630,907   2,395,135     328,344
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Cost of revenue
Photovoltaic modules                 (434,493) (1,835,886)   (251,677)
Photovoltaic cells                     (5,983)    (49,332)     (6,763)
Photovoltaic cells processing          (6,054)           -           -
PV modules processing                        -     (2,014)       (276)
Others                                       -   (110,123)    (15,097)
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Total cost of revenue                (446,530) (1,997,355)   (273,813)
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Gross profit                           184,377     397,780      54,531
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Operating expenses
Selling expenses                      (11,883)    (62,777)     (8,606)
G&A expenses                          (52,214)   (113,756)    (15,595)
R&D expenses                           (6,523)    (27,440)     (3,761)
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

    Total operating expenses          (70,620)   (203,973)    (27,962)
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Operating profit                       113,757     193,807      26,569

Interest expenses                      (8,402)    (25,978)     (3,561)
Interest income                          1,326      16,244       2,227
Exchange losses                        (4,346)    (25,628)     (3,513)
Other income                               902       1,505         206
Other expenses                           (836)     (9,670)     (1,326)
Value of embedded foreign currency
 derivative                              (163)           -           -
Government grant                           852       2,089         286
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------


Net income (loss) before income
 tax and minority interest             103,090     152,369      20,888
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------


Income tax benefit / (expenses)          3,132     (7,458)     (1,022)
Minority interest                        (301)       3,124         428
                                   ----------- ----------- -----------

Net income (loss)                      105,921     148,035      20,294
                                   =========== =========== ===========


Net income attributable to
 ordinary shareholders                  98,695     148,035      20,294
                                   =========== =========== ===========


Net income/ (loss) per share
Basic                                   0.9524      0.6163      0.0845
Diluted                                 0.7454      0.6163      0.0845

Shares used in computation
Basic                              103,631,832 240,199,520 240,199,520
Diluted                            142,108,460 240,199,520 240,199,520


Net income/ (loss) per ADS
Basic                                   4.7618      3.0815      0.4224
Diluted                                 3.7268      3.0815      0.4224

ADSs used in computation
Basic                               20,726,366  48,039,904  48,039,904
Diluted                             28,421,692  48,039,904  48,039,904

The conversion in this release of Renminbi into U.S. dollars is made solely for the convenience of the reader, and is based on the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of Renminbi as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of December 31, 2007, which was RMB7.2946 to US$1.00. No representation is intended to imply that the Renminbi amounts could have been, or could be, converted, realized or settled into U.S. dollars at that rate on December 31, 2007, or at any other date. The percentages stated in this press release are calculated based on Renminbi amounts.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements, as defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as the Company's business outlook for 2008, including first quarter and full year 2008 estimates for net revenue, PV product shipments, raw materials and product prices, PV cell production capacity and gross margins. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from such estimates depending on future events and other changes in business climate and market conditions. Solarfun disclaims any obligation to update or correct this information.

About Solarfun

Solarfun Power Holdings Co, Ltd. manufactures both PV cells and PV modules, provides PV cell processing services to convert silicon wafers into PV cells, and supplies solar system integration services in China. Solarfun produces both monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon cells and modules, and manufactures 100% of its modules with in-house produced PV cells. Solarfun sells its products both through third-party distributors, OEM manufacturers and directly to system integrators. Solarfun was founded in 2004 and its products have been certified to TUV and UL safety and quality standards. SOLF-G

http://www.solarfun.com.cn

Contact:

Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
Paul Combs, 86- 21-6307-0222
Vice President of Strategic Planning
IR@solarfun.com.cn
or
Christensen
Peter Homstad, 480-614-3026
phomstad@ChristensenIR.com

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