Economic Value Added (EVA)
EVA is registered trademark of Stern Stewart.
Economic value added or economic profit is the difference between revenues and costs,where costs include not only expenses, but also cost of capital.
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- Income Statement
- Statement of Comprehensive Income
- Balance Sheet: Assets
- Common-Size Income Statement
- Analysis of Liquidity Ratios
- Analysis of Short-term (Operating) Activity Ratios
- Common Stock Valuation Ratios
- Present Value of Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE)
- Debt to Equity since 2006
- Price to Book Value (P/BV) since 2006
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Economic Profit
First Solar Inc., economic profit calculation
US$ in thousands
| 12 months ended: | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1 | ||||||
| Cost of capital2 | ||||||
| Invested capital3 | ||||||
| Economic profit4 | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 NOPAT. See details »
2 Cost of capital. See details »
3 Invested capital. See details »
4 2023 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= – × =
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- The company demonstrated a significant upward trend in net operating profit after taxes over the five-year period. Starting with a negative NOPAT in 2019, the figures improved substantially each year, reaching over 1.54 billion US dollars by the end of 2023. This indicates strong operational improvements and growing profitability.
- Cost of Capital
- The cost of capital exhibited a relatively stable and slightly increasing pattern, ranging from approximately 17.66% in 2019 to a peak of 19.16% in 2022, before slightly decreasing to 18.81% in 2023. This suggests that the company faced consistent capital costs with minor fluctuations, potentially reflecting market or risk adjustments during this period.
- Invested Capital
- Invested capital generally increased over the analyzed period, with an initial rise from about 4.89 billion US dollars in 2019 to a peak near 5.69 billion in 2021. There was a decline in 2022, but the figure sharply increased to over 7.84 billion US dollars in 2023. This pattern suggests periods of both consolidation and significant investment expansion, likely supporting growth or strategic initiatives.
- Economic Profit
- Economic profit improved progressively from a substantial negative value in 2019, indicating losses above the cost of capital, toward positive territory by 2023. Although economic profit remained negative from 2019 through 2022, the magnitude of loss decreased each year, culminating in a positive economic profit of 67,220 thousand US dollars in 2023. This reflects increasing value creation and better efficiency in utilizing invested capital relative to its cost.
Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)
First Solar Inc., NOPAT calculation
US$ in thousands
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »
2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowance for credit losses.
3 Addition of increase (decrease) in deferred revenue.
4 Addition of increase (decrease) in product warranty liability.
5 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income (loss).
6 2023 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =
7 2023 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense, net = Adjusted interest expense, net × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =
8 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income (loss).
9 2023 Calculation
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income = Investment income, before tax × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =
10 Elimination of after taxes investment income.
- Net Income (Loss)
- The net income data over the five-year period exhibits notable volatility and a marked improvement towards the end of the timeline. In 2019, the company recorded a significant net loss of approximately $114.9 million. This was followed by a substantial turnaround in 2020 with net income reaching nearly $398.4 million, indicating a strong recovery. The positive trend continued in 2021, with net income increasing modestly to about $468.7 million. However, 2022 saw a reversal, with net income again falling into a loss of approximately $44.2 million. Importantly, 2023 demonstrated a dramatic rebound, achieving a peak net income of about $830.8 million, the highest in the observed period.
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- The Net Operating Profit After Taxes shows a consistent upward trend throughout the period under review, reflecting improving operating efficiency. Starting from a negative value of roughly $94.5 million in 2019, NOPAT turned positive by 2020 at approximately $214.3 million. It continued to grow significantly, reaching around $568.0 million in 2021, demonstrating effective operational performance. The growth accelerated in 2022, with NOPAT rising to about $826.9 million. The most substantial increase occurred in 2023 where NOPAT almost doubled from the previous year to approximately $1.54 billion, indicating strong underlying profitability and likely improvements in operational control or revenue generation capabilities.
- Overall Trends and Insights
- The financial performance shows a notable improvement in operational profitability (NOPAT) across the entire time span, suggesting enhanced core business efficiency. Meanwhile, net income figures indicate more volatility, particularly with losses in 2019 and 2022 interrupting an otherwise positive trend. The drastic increase in net income and NOPAT in 2023 points to a possible significant positive development impacting profitability, such as operational expansions, cost reductions, or favorable market conditions. The divergence between the smoother upward trend in NOPAT and the fluctuations in net income implies that non-operating items or extraordinary events may be influencing the net income results in certain years.
Cash Operating Taxes
First Solar Inc., cash operating taxes calculation
US$ in thousands
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
- Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
- The income tax expense shows significant fluctuations over the analyzed period. In 2019 and 2020, the company recorded negative values indicating income tax benefits of -5,480 and -107,294 thousand US dollars respectively. However, beginning in 2021, there was a reversal to positive income tax expenses, with the company incurring 103,469 thousand US dollars in 2021, followed by slightly reduced expenses of 52,764 and 60,513 thousand US dollars in 2022 and 2023 respectively. This pattern indicates a shift from benefiting from tax credits or other tax advantages to a tax expense liability, stabilizing somewhat in the last two years but remaining significantly above the 2019 figure.
- Cash Operating Taxes
- Cash operating taxes also exhibited considerable volatility during the period. In 2019, the company paid 42,935 thousand US dollars in cash taxes. In 2020, this figure dropped sharply to a negative 119,248 thousand US dollars, indicating possible tax refunds or credits realized in that year. From 2021 onwards, cash operating taxes returned to positive figures, with 23,041 thousand US dollars in 2021, rising to 54,928 and 56,472 thousand US dollars in 2022 and 2023 respectively. The upward trend in cash taxes paid in the latter years suggests increasing taxable income or reduced available tax credits.
Invested Capital
First Solar Inc., invested capital calculation (financing approach)
US$ in thousands
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.
2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »
3 Addition of allowance for doubtful accounts receivable.
4 Addition of deferred revenue.
5 Addition of product warranty liability.
6 Addition of equity equivalents to stockholders’ equity.
7 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.
8 Subtraction of construction in progress.
9 Subtraction of marketable securities and restricted marketable securities.
- Total reported debt & leases
- The total reported debt and leases exhibited a fluctuating trend over the five-year period. It decreased steadily from approximately 595 million US dollars at the end of 2019 to around 234 million US dollars by the end of 2022. However, there was a significant increase in 2023, with this figure rising sharply to about 624 million US dollars, exceeding the initial level recorded in 2019.
- Stockholders’ equity
- Stockholders’ equity showed a consistent upward trend throughout the period under review. Starting at roughly 5.1 billion US dollars in 2019, it increased gradually each year, reaching approximately 6.7 billion US dollars by the end of 2023. Despite a slight dip between 2021 and 2022, the overall movement indicates strengthening equity and possibly retained earnings or capital injections over time.
- Invested capital
- Invested capital also displayed variability across the years. From about 4.9 billion US dollars in 2019, it rose modestly to approximately 5.7 billion US dollars in 2021, followed by a decrease to roughly 5.05 billion US dollars in 2022. Notably, there was a marked surge in 2023, with invested capital reaching nearly 7.84 billion US dollars, representing the highest level in the observed period and suggesting increased resource deployment or asset acquisition during that year.
Cost of Capital
First Solar Inc., cost of capital calculations
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt and finance lease liabilities3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).
1 US$ in thousands
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt and finance lease liabilities3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31).
1 US$ in thousands
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt and finance lease liabilities3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).
1 US$ in thousands
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt and finance lease liabilities3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 US$ in thousands
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt and finance lease liabilities3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 US$ in thousands
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
Economic Spread Ratio
First Solar Inc., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Invested capital2 | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic spread ratio3 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4 | ||||||
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc. | ||||||
| Analog Devices Inc. | ||||||
| Applied Materials Inc. | ||||||
| Broadcom Inc. | ||||||
| Intel Corp. | ||||||
| KLA Corp. | ||||||
| Lam Research Corp. | ||||||
| Micron Technology Inc. | ||||||
| NVIDIA Corp. | ||||||
| Qualcomm Inc. | ||||||
| Texas Instruments Inc. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 Invested capital. See details »
3 2023 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =
4 Click competitor name to see calculations.
- Economic Profit
- The economic profit shows a clear upward trend over the period analyzed. Starting from a significant negative value, the loss decreased steadily each year, moving from −958,768 thousand US dollars in 2019 to a positive economic profit of 67,220 thousand US dollars in 2023. This progression suggests improved profitability and value creation, transitioning from economic loss to economic gain by the end of the period.
- Invested Capital
- Invested capital experienced fluctuations across the years. It increased from 4,894,577 thousand US dollars in 2019 to 5,692,249 thousand US dollars in 2021, then decreased to 5,054,301 thousand US dollars in 2022 before rising sharply to 7,840,426 thousand US dollars in 2023. This indicates varying levels of investment activity, with a notable capital increase in the final year.
- Economic Spread Ratio
- The economic spread ratio displays an improving trend, moving from −19.59% in 2019 to a positive 0.86% in 2023. Each year shows a reduction in the negative spread, indicating better returns on invested capital relative to its cost. This ratio turning positive in 2023 signifies that the company began generating returns that exceed its capital costs.
Economic Profit Margin
First Solar Inc., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Net sales | ||||||
| Add: Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue | ||||||
| Adjusted net sales | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic profit margin2 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3 | ||||||
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc. | ||||||
| Analog Devices Inc. | ||||||
| Applied Materials Inc. | ||||||
| Broadcom Inc. | ||||||
| Intel Corp. | ||||||
| KLA Corp. | ||||||
| Lam Research Corp. | ||||||
| Micron Technology Inc. | ||||||
| NVIDIA Corp. | ||||||
| Qualcomm Inc. | ||||||
| Texas Instruments Inc. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 2023 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Adjusted net sales
= 100 × ÷ =
3 Click competitor name to see calculations.
- Economic Profit
- The economic profit has shown a consistent improvement over the five-year period. Starting from a significant negative value of -958,768 thousand US dollars in 2019, it improved to -726,070 thousand in 2020, followed by a reduction in losses to -486,237 thousand in 2021 and further improved to -141,460 thousand in 2022. By 2023, the economic profit turned positive, reaching 67,220 thousand US dollars, indicating a turnaround in the company's financial performance.
- Adjusted Net Sales
- Adjusted net sales exhibited some fluctuation but generally showed an upward trend. The sales figure decreased from 3,280,003 thousand US dollars in 2019 to 2,550,409 thousand in 2020, likely reflecting market or operational challenges during that period. However, sales recovered in 2021 to 2,987,456 thousand and continued to grow steadily through 2022 and 2023, reaching 3,529,448 thousand and 4,115,845 thousand US dollars respectively.
- Economic Profit Margin
- The economic profit margin followed a similar improvement trajectory as the economic profit itself. Initially, the margin was deeply negative at -29.23% in 2019, with marginal improvement to -28.47% in 2020. A notable positive change occurred in 2021, lowering the negative margin to -16.28%, followed by further progress to -4.01% in 2022. By 2023, the margin turned positive to 1.63%, reflecting enhanced profitability relative to the company's sales.
- Overall Analysis
- The data indicates a marked recovery in financial performance over the observed years. Despite a drop in adjusted net sales in 2020, the company managed to reduce economic losses significantly each year, culminating in positive economic profit and margin in 2023. The increasing sales figures alongside improving economic profit and margin suggest successful operational and strategic initiatives that enhanced value creation. This trend reflects strengthening efficiency and profitability as the company moves from negative to positive economic returns.