Utility-Scale ESS Shipments Surged YoY in 1Q26
发布时间:2026-05-07 来源:华泰证券
CSI Solar has reported 2025 and 1Q26 results. In 2025, it recorded revenue of RMB40.26bn (-12.80% YoY), an attributable NP of RMB1.02bn (-54.80% YoY), and a recurring NP of RMB921mn (-58.65% YoY). The attributable NP was weaker than our expectation of RMB1.64bn, mainly due to temporary pressure in the solar panel business and asset impairment. For 1Q26, the company posted revenue of RMB7.13bn, down by 16.96% YoY, an attributable NP of RMB519mn, up by 999.10% YoY, and a recurring NP of RMB344mn, up by 293.59% YoY. The revenue decline was mainly because part of its US business shifted from consolidated reporting to investment income recognition. The sharp profit growth was mainly driven by a 206% YoY increase in utility-scale ESS shipments, effective protection of the gross margin floor of its ESS integration business under its profit-first strategy, and also contribution from one-off IEEPA tariff rebates. Looking ahead, ESS has become the company’s core earnings growth engine. We remain positive on future growth as overseas order deliveries and AIDC-related ESS demand increase. For PV business, the company continues to stick to a profit-first strategy, and the gradual adoption of base-metal silver-reduction cost-saving technologies should support earnings recovery. Maintain BUY.
ESS: strong global demand drove steady earnings growth
In 2025, the company shipped 7.8GWh of utility-scale ESS, up by 20% YoY. Profit contribution from the ESS business exceeded 100% of total group profit, effectively offsetting cyclicality in the core PV business. In 1Q26, utility-scale ESS shipments reached 2.6GWh, above the guidance range of 1.7-1.9GWh and up by 206% YoY, reflecting strong global ESS demand. According to the company’s 2025 annual report, ESS shipments are expected to reach 14-17GWh in 2026, excluding restructuring factors, representing a further 79%-118% YoY increase. The company’s ESS business focuses on high-value markets such as Europe and the US, provides system solutions, and has a differentiated competitive advantage. It has won utility-scale ESS project orders across Europe, North America, Australia, and South America. As the company’s equity-invested storage cell integration plant in Thailand gradually starts production from 2Q26 to 3Q26, it should further enhance supply capacity to the high-margin, high-barrier US ESS market. According to the company’s earnings call, orders for the Thailand capacity are already fully booked, pointing to a strong growth trend in its overseas ESS business.
Earnings forecasts and valuation
Given that the downturn in PV manufacturing is lasting longer than we expected and considering the shift in the company’s business mix in 2025, we lower our 2026-2027 forecasts for PV module shipments and ASP, while raising our forecasts for ESS shipments and gross margin. Accordingly, we cut our attributable NP forecasts for 2026/2027 to RMB2.58bn/RMB3.46bn, revisions of -14.11%/-0.66% versus our previous estimates, and add our 2028 forecast of RMB4.16bn, with a three-year CAGR of 59.95%, and EPS of RMB0.71/ RMB0.95/RMB1.14. Based on 25.66x 2026E PE, which is in line with the average PE for comparable companies on iFinD consensus, our target price is lowered to RMB18.16 (previously RMB19.44, based on 24x 2026E PE). Maintain BUY.
Risks: Capacity expansion falls short of our expectations; operating risks in overseas markets; industry demand falls short of our expectations; uncertainty in overseas policy.