5 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Barron�� recently published a rather bearish article about small cap solar stock SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ: SCTY) that has the stock sliding downward albeit its still up more than 150% since the start of the year. That article was then followed by a defense of the company from a bullish Forbes��contributor. So who is right here?

What Is SolarCity Corp?

Founded in 2006, small cap solar stock SolarCity calls itself the nation's leading solar provider for homeowners, businesses and government organizations�because it�� a provider of�full-service solar power system design, financing, installation and monitoring services through 31 operations centers�serving thousands of customers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Washington DC.�Customers include homeowners, more than 100 schools (including Stanford University), government agencies (US Armed Forces and Department of Homeland Security) and well-known corporate clients (such as�eBay, Intel and Walmart).

Top Up And Coming Companies To Own For 2015: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Mining fueled more than $11 billion in GDP in 2011, with the manufacturing, real-estate, and transportation industries also contributing strongly to its economy. Coal mining has been a boon for the state: According to the Energy Information Administration, Wyoming boasted nine of the 10 top-producing coal mines in the U.S. last year, with two mines alone making up 20% of total American coal production. While low prices and waning public sentiment have hurt the coal industry, some firms have thrived in Wyoming. Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) , the biggest public coal-producer in the world, operates Wyoming's largest coal mine, the North Antelope Rochelle mine. That mine produced more than 105 million short tons of coal in 2010 alone for Peabody. The company also operates the 10-largest coal mine in America: its Rawhide mine, also in Wyoming, with 2010 production of more than 11 million short tons of coal.

5 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In Right Now: JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd.(JASO)

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of photovoltaic solar cells and solar products, which convert sunlight into electricity in the People's Republic of China. The company?s principal products include monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells, as well as various solar modules. It also provides silicon wafer and solar cell processing services. The company sells its products primarily under the JA Solar brand name, as well as produces equipment for original equipment manufacturing customers under their brand names. It sells its solar cell and module products primarily to module manufacturers, system integrators, project developers, and distributors in the Germany, Italy, the United States, Hong Kong, Spain, India, the Czech Republic, France, and South Korea. The company has strategic partnerships with various solar power companies, such as BP Solar, Solar-Fabrik, and MEMC/SunEdison. JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Notable earnings reports currently on tap for next week: Qihu 360 Technology Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: QIHU), Avago Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: AVGO), LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF), Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY), Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB), JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO), Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (NYSE: KKD), and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL).

• [By Anna Prior]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are Citigroup Inc.(C), JA Solar Holdings(JASO) Co and Chindex International Inc.(CHDX)

• [By Monica Gerson]

  © 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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• [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Yingli Green said it will continue to fight a U.S. plan to close a loophole that allowed Chinese solar manufacturers to avoid tariffs by assembling their products outside China. Yingli shares dropped 6.4% to $2.76 premarket. Among the other Chinese solar stocks trading lower Wednesday are JinkoSolar Holding Co.(JKS), Trina Solar Ltd.(TSL) and JA Solar Holdings Co.(JASO)

5 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In Right Now: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks]

  Other stocks from the sector worth considering are Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) and Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL).  All these stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 

• [By David Pinsen]

  Shares of First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) were up more than 17% intraday Friday, after the company reported Q3 numbers on Thursday that beat consensus earnings and revenue estimates. For investors looking to add downside protection now, here are two ways to hedge.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  The size of the investments Buffett is making is what makes his fascination with solar astounding. He owns two projects built by First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) , including 49% of Agua Caliente, which he co-owns with NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG  ) , and a third project called Antelope Valley, the largest solar power plant in the world, which is currently under construction by SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) .

• [By Anders Bylund]

  The return of solar power
  Solar-power giant First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) published an updated revenue and earnings outlook for the next couple of years. The next day, shares soared 45.5% higher. At the midpoint of management's guidance ranges, First Solar beat Wall Street's 2013 revenue target by 25% and next year's estimates by 13%.

5 Best Solar Stocks To Invest In Right Now: DAQQ New Energy Corp.(DQ)

Daqo New Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells polysilicon in China. The company sells its polysilicon to photovoltaic product manufacturers for use in the processing of ingots, wafers, cells and modules for solar power solutions. It also produces and sells mono-crystalline and multi-crystalline modules to photovoltaic system integrators and distributors in China and internationally under its Daqo brand. The company was formerly known as Mega Stand International Limited and changed its name to Daqo New Energy Corp. in August 2009. Daqo New Energy Corp. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered Wanzhou, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ali Berri]

  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.42 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), up 9.4 percent, and Goodrich Petroleum (NYSE: GDP), up 6.2 percent.
  

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ) shares gained 12.78% to $33.58 on quarterly results.

  SINA (NASDAQ: SINA) rose 7.26% to $51.29 after the company reported upbeat quarterly results.