Why Trina Solar Limited's Shares Popped 10.5% in February

Image source: Trina Solar.

What: Shares of solar manufacturer Trina Solar Limited (ADR) jumped 10.5% in February as solar companies recovered nicely from a bad January.

So what: The biggest move Trina solar made last month was the acquisition of 200 MW of solar cell manufacturing assets in the Netherlands. Having a manufacturing hub in Europe will help the company avoid tariffs there and potentially open up a market that's trying to shield itself from foreign competition. 200 MW isn't a big facility, but it could be the first of a larger expansion into Europe, continuing a move to expand production beyond its base in China.

Now what: Trina Solar is becoming one of only a few Chinese solar companies that are building sustainable long-term businesses in solar. The company has moved downstream into project building and is now expanding manufacturing into Thailand and Europe. Those moves help reduce the risk of punitive tariffs for the company, something it has had to deal with regularly over the last few years.

Expect solar stocks to continue to be volatile, as they've been for years, but Trina Solar is making solid strategic moves to reinforce its position in the industry. That should help the company remain at the top of the heap of Chinese solar manufacturers.

The article Why Trina Solar Limited's Shares Popped 10.5% in February originally appeared on Fool.com.

Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.