Solar Energy Short Interest Fades

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 rise by 8.7% to 2.68 million shares, about 8.7% of the company’s total float.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) short interest dropped by 15.8% to 15.4 million shares, which represents 25.3% of the company’s float.

GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTAT) showed an increase of 8.9% in short interest, to 49 million shares, or about 41.5% of GT’s float.

SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) showed an increase of 5.2% in short interest to 20.34 million shares, about 9.6% of the float. SunEdison is the new name for MEMC Electronic Materials. The name change took effect June 3.

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) saw short interest fall 1.5% to 11.67 million shares, 28.1% of the company’s total float.

JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) showed a rise of 12.2% in short interest to 2.49 million shares.

LDK Solar Co. Inc. (NYSE: LDK) saw short interest fall by 6.5% to 2.95 million shares.

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP) showed a drop of 0.1% in short interest to 18.06 million shares.

Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) saw a short interest decline of 15.5% to 12.32 million shares.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE) showed a rise of 4.9% in short interest to 7.75 million shares.

Short interest in First Solar has fallen by half since last August, while shorts have more than doubled in SunPower. The bet there is that SunPower is fully valued and has nowhere to go but down. That was a good bet — shares fell more than 10% between mid-May and the end of the month. Since then, however, shares have regained half the loss.

The Chinese solar panel makers are not attracting much play, mainly because the bet here is on whether the government will ride to the rescue. Right now, it looks positive for the Chinese makers, following a visit from China’s new president, who said that the solar industry is critical for the country.