SMA Solar lowers full-year revenue guidance on impact from market downturn in China

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
SMA Solar Technology has lowered its full-year revenue and profit guidance due to the market downturn in China that has led to plummeting product prices and delay’s to PV Power plant development across major markets. Image: SMA Solar

Major PV inverter manufacturer SMA Solar Technology has lowered its full-year revenue and profit guidance due to the market downturn in China that has led to plummeting product prices and delays to PV Power plant development across major markets. 

SMA Solar said that it lowered its expected 2018 revenue to be in the range of €800 million to €850 million, down from previous guidance of €900 million to €1,000 million. 

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Based on the revised range of revenue guidance, SMA Solar is expecting its third consecutive year of revenue declines.

The company also guided a major decline in expected EBITDA, due to new restructuring charges yet to be announced in detail. SMA Solar said that it was expecting a break-even to slightly negative EBITDA for the full-year, compared to previous guidance of achieving EBITDA of €90 million to €110 million in 2018. 

Pierre-Pascal Urbon, SMA Solar’s CEO said, “The massive and unexpected reduction of the PV expansion targets by the Chinese government has led to enormous excess capacity in module and inverter production in China. As a result, Chinese manufacturers are putting increasing pressure on international markets. This has once again exacerbated the already steep decline in prices in all markets and segments. In recent weeks, we have seen that project developers and investors are increasingly delaying the implementation of PV projects in the coming year in anticipation of even lower prices. Against this backdrop, SMA is currently recording incoming orders below our expectations.”

Based on the revised range of revenue guidance, SMA Solar is expecting its third consecutive year of revenue declines. 

10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

August 8, 2025
This week several solar developers have raised funds for projects around the world, including BRUC in Europe, Greenalia in the US, Qair in Mauritius and CREC in Philippines.
August 8, 2025
German renewable energy developer ib vogt has officially broken ground on a 99MWp solar PV power plant in South Cotabato, the Philippines.
August 7, 2025
US-based floating solar (FPV) developer D3Energy is constructing a 6MW floating solar system in Monroeville – a village in Huron County, Ohio. 
August 7, 2025
Infinity Power has signed two concession agreements with the Government of Côte d'Ivoire for PV projects with a total capacity of 80MWac.
Premium
August 7, 2025
July 2025, the peak of the Australian winter season, saw generation from utility-scale and rooftop solar increase by 12.78% year-on-year in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
August 7, 2025
Despite severe flooding in the Waiotahe Valley in New Zealand, Lodestone Energy has confirmed that its 42MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar PV power plant has continued operations.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines