"Fossil fuel prices are once again on the rise, and not so coincidentally, demand has been growing as well for solar energy modules," notes Stephen Leeb.

The editor of The Complete Investor observes, "So you would think manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and systems would be winning the favor of investors as well. But that hasn't been the case-far from it.

"Rather, shares of many solar manufacturers, including Suntech Power (STP), have been hitting the skids.

"The trick within the solar sector is to home in on the stock within the group that has the best shot at putting on a great show," says Paul Goodwin.

The editor of Cabot China & Emerging Markets Report explains, "And we think that stock is LDK Solar (LDK), a company that is displaying and forecasting some of the most dynamic growth of any company we follow -- solar or not.

"LDK Solar got its start in 2005 and came public during the glory days of 2007-the stock nearly tripled from its IPO in June to its top that fall. The company's claim to fame was its polysilicon and ingots, two of the base supplies needed to make most solar cells and modules.

Exchange-traded funds involving solar energy have been stellar over the past two months. A rising stock market and higher oil tends to help. Many companies are raising guidance or are calming fears that margin compression is escalating and that orders are dropping.

We have taken a look at some of the solar ETF products on the market that offer the best alternatives on investing, although there are also some broader ETF products via alternative energy and clean energy ETFs, which of course include heavy weightings in solar stocks. Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN) and the Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (KWT) are key solar ETFs in the mix. We have also loosely covered solar via broader alternative energy ETFs of PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy (PBW), Market Vectors Global Alternative Energy ETF (GEX), and the iShares S&P Global Clean Energy Index (ICLN). As First Solar Inc. (FSLR) is the largest solar stock out there, we have tried to show how it relates into each because the weighting and balancing of each fund differs.

Today was a wishy-washy day. We started out strong with overseas trading in stocks, but the G20 debt cut pledge seems unbelievable and is still in the years ahead rather than today. Judges upheld Sarbanes-Oxley, except for one issue, which was an attack against the measure of corporate governance. Financial regulatory reform may have just run into another snag after Senator Robert Byrd, a democrat from West Virgina, died at the age of 92 ahead of a key vote this week. Consumer spending also rose 0.2%, but income rose 0.4%, and that is being taken somewhat cautiously, despite being positive.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,138.52 -5.29 (-0.05%)
S&P 500 1,074.56 -2.20 (-0.20%)
Nasdaq 2,220.65 -2.83 (-0.13%)

Top Analyst Calls

Arizona-based First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) is hot.

The company reported a blowout quarter in July, with net income more than doubling in the second quarter and easily beating consensus Street estimates. In Q2, net income was $180.6 million, or $2.11 per share, compared with $69.7 million, or 85 cents per share, a year ago. The word on the Street was for earnings of just $1.65 per share.

Impressively, the company also beat top line estimates, coming in with Q2 revenue of $525.9 million. Analysts had expected a revenue of just $458.1 million.

Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL), a maker of solar photovoltaic products and a colleague of Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP), issued second-quarter results on Monday after the market closed. According to Reuters, Trina Solar beat market expectations.

Revenues decreased over 26% year-over-year (according to the actual press release, revenues increased over 13% on a sequential basis). Net income was 71 cents per American depositary share (ADS). Analysts were betting on 37 cents per ADS being the likely profit figure.

China-based Suntech Power Holdings Co. (NYSE: STP) is one of China's top stocks. The country's largest solar panel maker recently took steps to increase its hold on the Chinese solar market when it reached an agreement with a unit of China Huadian Corp. to develop 500MW of solar projects in China.

The collaboration between Suntech and China Huadian New Energy Development Co. could include some of the 1.8 gigawatts of Chinese projects Suntech recently announced. According to the company, the projects resulting from those agreements could be installed between 2010 and 2012. This deal means a solid pipeline of earnings for the solar maker, and that could translate into solid earnings going forward.

On July 24, Northern California-based SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA) stunned the Street with a red-hot earnings beat. For Q2, SunPower reported earnings of 24 cents per share, beating consensus by 10 cents. Revenues rose 39% year-over-year to $298 million versus the $263 million consensus. The company also issued upside guidance for fiscal year 2009, seeing EPS of $1.15 to $1.60, compared to the consensus of 96 cents.

In a really bullish sign for SunPower going forward, the company also reiterated its 2009 capex guidance of $250 million to $300 million.

Also reporting after the close on July 30 was Arizona-based First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR). Now these guys had a blowout quarter!

The company reported net income more than doubled in the second quarter, easily beating consensus Street estimates. In Q2, net income was $180.6 million, or $2.11 per share, compared with $69.7 million, or 85 cents per share, a year ago. The word on the Street was for earnings of just $1.65 per share.

After the closing bell on July 30, Massachusetts-based Evergreen Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: ESLR) reported second-quarter revenues of $63.8 million, compared to $55.8 million for the first quarter of 2009. The company's gross margin for the second quarter of 2009 was 1.9%, compared to 1.2% for the first quarter of 2009.

Unfortunately, these gross margins are way off the 34.7% we saw in the second quarter of 2008.

Before the opening bell on July 30, Northern California-based Akeena Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: AKNS) reported a 17% decline in second-quarter revenue year over year. However, like we've seen so often this earnings season, the company's cost-savings efforts resulted in a better-than-expected bottom-line earnings numbers.

Akeena reported a net loss of 9 cents per share in the quarter, a number well above the 11-cent loss expected by Wall Street.

Several high-profile solar companies recently reported earnings, and although these companies posted mixed results for the most recent quarter, there's no denying that Wall Street has been turning its face toward the sun and bidding up the shares of solar stocks.

So, what's the latest earnings front from stocks in the solar space, and why do the shares of some of the hottest solar stocks continue to shine? More importantly, should you own solar stocks right now, and if so, which ones should you make room for in your portfolio?

"The way to win in solar is to invest in the industry leaders and SunTech Power Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: STP) is a big as they come," says growth expert Toby Smith in his ChangeWave Investing.

"China will surpass the US as the world's largest market for wind turbines -- after doubling wind power capacity in each of the last four years.

"Chinese government mandates for cleaner energy are a big factor driving the blossoming wind and solar projects, but other forces are at work, too. Chinese power companies are loaded with cash and state-owned banks are eager to lend them more money.

Today's markets were under pressure most of the day after weekly jobless claims remained higher than estimates and after wholesale inflation rose more than expected. Earnings disappointments also added some pressure, yet oil rose sharply today with futures up over 10% at $38.60 late in the day after oil inventory levels were reported. Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 7,465.79 -89.84 (-1.19%)
S&P 500 778.93 -9.49 (-1.20%)
Nasdaq 1,442.82 -25.15 (-1.71%)

10YR T-NOTE
Top Analyst Upgrades
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This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"If there ever was an opportunity to move energy efficiency strategies into the top-tier of national and industrial policy, it's now," says Toby Smith, referring to President-elect Obama's stated focus on renewable energy.

In his industry-leading ChangeWave Investing, which focuses on isolating emerging, long-term investment trends, he states, "The question isn't really if solar companies will benefit, but when." As a favorite idea for 2009, he looks to SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA).

"President-elect Obama seems to be the right person to push energy-efficiency initiatives through -- especially since he is preparing a massive stimulus program that will be unleashed soon after his inauguration on Jan. 20.

"The core of Obama's economic policy appears to be a strategy to transform the United States into an economy mostly powered by renewable and low-carbon energy generation by mid-century. This includes everything from solar to natural gas to nuclear.