Flash: First Solar beats by $0.17, beats on revs; reaffirms FY11 EPS guidance, revs guidance

Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $1.33 per share, $0.17 better than the Thomson Reuters consensus of $1.16; revenues were unchanged from the year-ago period at $567 mln. Quarter over quarter, the net income decrease was primarily driven by lower net sales and gross margin. Year over year, the net income decrease was primarily driven by reduced average selling prices and higher expenses, partially offset by increased module production and lower module cost per watt. Gross margins 45.6% compared to 49.7% in prior year. Co reaffirms guidance for FY11, sees EPS of $9.25-9.75 vs. $9.52 Thomson Reuters consensus; sees FY11 revs of $3.7-3.8 bln vs. $3.79 bln Thomson Reuters consensus.