Zhong Guo Jing Ying Bao·2025-05-09 20:07Core Viewpoint - The photovoltaic industry is facing significant challenges, particularly in the encapsulation material market, leading to a harsh reshuffling of the market landscape and declining performance for key players [3][4][5]. Group 1: Industry Performance - The photovoltaic encapsulation material market is experiencing a downturn, with major companies like Foster, Haiyou New Materials, and Saiwu Technology reporting substantial declines in revenue and profit [3][4]. - Foster's 2024 revenue was 19.147 billion yuan, a decrease of 15.23% year-on-year, while net profit fell by 29.33% to 1.308 billion yuan [4]. - The overall market environment is complex and severe, with global photovoltaic market growth expected to slow down significantly by 2025, creating uncertainty for encapsulation material companies [3][6]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape for photovoltaic encapsulation materials is undergoing a transformation, with varying shipment scales among companies based on their competitive strength and strategic choices [3][8]. - In 2024, Foster maintained its position as the market leader with a 50% market share, while competitors like Swick and Haiyou New Materials are in the second tier with over 10% market share [8][9]. - The shipment volume for Foster in 2024 was 2.811 billion square meters, significantly higher than Swick's 0.655 billion square meters, highlighting the disparity in market presence [8]. Group 3: Financial Struggles - Many second and third-tier companies are facing severe financial difficulties, with losses reported by Haiyou New Materials, Saiwu Technology, and Tianyang New Materials in both 2024 and the first quarter of 2025 [5][6]. - Haiyou New Materials reported losses of 558 million yuan in 2024 and 57 million yuan in Q1 2025, while Saiwu Technology reported losses of 285 million yuan and 33 million yuan, respectively [5]. - The decline in sales prices due to intensified competition and high production costs has led to reduced profitability across the industry [5][6]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The profitability recovery for 2025 remains uncertain, influenced by domestic electricity market policies and changes in U.S. tariff regulations, with a projected 10% growth in the global photovoltaic market [6][7]. - Companies are exploring new growth avenues, such as electronic materials, to mitigate the impact of declining encapsulation material prices [6][7]. - The relationship between companies like Bai Jia Nian and Tianyang New Materials is evolving, raising questions about future market dynamics and potential mergers or acquisitions [10][11].