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LDK Solar Shares Slide as ThinkEquity Downgrades to Sell

LDK Solar shares are trading sharply lower this morning after ThinkEquity analyst Jonathan Hoopes cut his rating on the stock to Sell from Buy. He cut his target price on the stock to–get this–$4.50, from $45. The more bearish stance follows an earnings warning from the company earlier this week. Hoopes points out that the company’s $210 million to $220 million inventory write-down raises new concerns about a 2007 controversy involving allegations over inventory accounting issues.

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First Solar: Are Their Customers Piling Up Inventory?

Jonathan Hoopes of ThinkEquity concluded this morning that major customers of First Solar are sitting on what could be substantial inventory in their warehouses. Since it’s unlikely that impediments to solar market growth are lifting any time soon, or that said inventory’s going anywhere fast, he cut his price target from $175 to $105, and his estimated EPS for both 2009 and 2010.