ALTEX
ALTEX
Firsthand Alternative EnergyIncome Statement
| Period | Revenue | Operating Expense | Net Income | Net Profit Margin | Earnings Per Share | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $19.57M ▼ | $55.64M ▼ | $68.34M ▼ | 349.23% ▲ | $0.4 ▼ | $58.5M ▼ |
| Q4-2023 | $25.59M ▲ | $66.28M ▼ | $84.82M ▼ | 331.53% ▼ | $0.59 ▼ | $69.06M ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $18.37M ▲ | $118.19M ▲ | $130.48M ▲ | 710.31% ▲ | $0.96 ▲ | $0 |
| Q2-2023 | $13.6M ▲ | $60.15M ▲ | $-51.57M ▼ | -379.22% ▲ | $-0.38 | $0 |
| Q1-2023 | $12M | $58.37M | $-51.15M | -426.12% | $-0.38 | $0 |
What's going well?
ALTEX remains highly profitable on paper, with no debt and strong non-operating income boosting results. Gross margins are extremely high, and the company has minimal tax and interest costs.
What's concerning?
Sales and operating profits are dropping fast, and most of the profit comes from non-operating sources, not the core business. This makes the earnings less reliable and raises questions about future growth.
Balance Statement
| Period | Cash & Short-term | Total Assets | Total Liabilities | Total Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $1M ▲ | $2.52B ▲ | $710.3M ▲ | $1.81B ▲ |
| Q4-2023 | $589K ▼ | $2.43B ▲ | $650.06M ▲ | $1.78B ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $1.01M ▲ | $1.94B ▲ | $546.18M ▲ | $1.39B ▲ |
| Q2-2023 | $1M ▼ | $1.79B ▼ | $502.08M ▼ | $1.29B ▼ |
| Q1-2023 | $1.63M | $1.9B | $534.97M | $1.37B |
What's financially strong about this company?
ALTEX is mostly funded by shareholders, not debt, and has a large investment portfolio. There are no hidden liabilities, goodwill, or intangible asset risks.
What are the financial risks or weaknesses?
ALTEX has very little cash on hand and can't cover its short-term bills with current assets. Debt is rising, payables are piling up, and the company has a long history of losses.
Cash Flow Statement
| Period | Net Income | Cash From Operations | Cash From Investing | Cash From Financing | Net Change | Free Cash Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $68.34M ▼ | $22.54M ▼ | $0 | $-22.13M ▲ | $411K ▲ | $22.54M ▼ |
| Q4-2023 | $84.82M ▼ | $46.6M ▲ | $0 | $-47.02M ▼ | $-421K ▼ | $46.6M ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $130.48M ▲ | $17.6M ▼ | $0 | $-17.59M ▲ | $10K ▲ | $17.6M ▼ |
| Q2-2023 | $-51.57M ▼ | $44.54M ▲ | $0 | $-45.17M ▼ | $-629K ▼ | $44.54M ▲ |
| Q1-2023 | $-51.15M | $29.26M | $0 | $-28.13M | $1.12M | $29.26M |
What's strong about this company's cash flow?
ALTEX is self-funding and doesn't rely on outside money. It continues to generate positive cash flow from its core business and has no debt or dilution risk.
What are the cash flow concerns?
Cash flow from operations dropped sharply, and only a third of reported profits are turning into cash. Receivables are rising fast, and the cash balance is very low, leaving little room for error.
5-Year Trend Analysis
A comprehensive look at Firsthand Alternative Energy's financial evolution and strategic trajectory over the past five years.
ALTEX shows very strong recent profitability and cash generation, supported by a lean cost structure and a capital‑light business model. Its balance sheet carries substantial investment assets and solid equity, with comfortable liquidity in the short term. Strategically, it occupies a focused niche in alternative energy and energy technology, backed by an experienced active manager and a research‑intensive approach that targets high‑innovation companies tied to powerful long‑term trends like electrification and AI‑driven power demand.
Key risks include heavy reliance on interest and investment income for earnings, a leveraged balance sheet with meaningful net debt, and deeply negative retained earnings that signal a troubled historical track record despite current strength. The absence of visible reinvestment in physical or developmental assets and the lack of shareholder returns may suggest underutilized cash or a cautious posture. On the competitive side, the fund faces sector concentration risk, clean‑energy policy and rate sensitivity, and intense pressure from low‑fee passive products and other thematic managers.
Looking ahead, ALTEX’s prospects are closely linked to the performance of alternative energy and related technologies, as well as to its ability to continue generating strong investment results within that space. The structural tailwinds of decarbonization, grid modernization, and rising power needs for AI and electrification are favorable, but they come with high volatility and policy dependence. Financially, maintaining strong cash generation while gradually improving the balance sheet and demonstrating more consistent profitability over time would be important for strengthening its long‑term profile. Overall, the opportunity set is attractive but comes with elevated uncertainty and cyclicality.
About Firsthand Alternative Energy
https://firsthandfunds.com/index.php?fus...Acts as Open-End Investment Fund/Unit Trust.
Income Statement
| Period | Revenue | Operating Expense | Net Income | Net Profit Margin | Earnings Per Share | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $19.57M ▼ | $55.64M ▼ | $68.34M ▼ | 349.23% ▲ | $0.4 ▼ | $58.5M ▼ |
| Q4-2023 | $25.59M ▲ | $66.28M ▼ | $84.82M ▼ | 331.53% ▼ | $0.59 ▼ | $69.06M ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $18.37M ▲ | $118.19M ▲ | $130.48M ▲ | 710.31% ▲ | $0.96 ▲ | $0 |
| Q2-2023 | $13.6M ▲ | $60.15M ▲ | $-51.57M ▼ | -379.22% ▲ | $-0.38 | $0 |
| Q1-2023 | $12M | $58.37M | $-51.15M | -426.12% | $-0.38 | $0 |
What's going well?
ALTEX remains highly profitable on paper, with no debt and strong non-operating income boosting results. Gross margins are extremely high, and the company has minimal tax and interest costs.
What's concerning?
Sales and operating profits are dropping fast, and most of the profit comes from non-operating sources, not the core business. This makes the earnings less reliable and raises questions about future growth.
Balance Statement
| Period | Cash & Short-term | Total Assets | Total Liabilities | Total Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $1M ▲ | $2.52B ▲ | $710.3M ▲ | $1.81B ▲ |
| Q4-2023 | $589K ▼ | $2.43B ▲ | $650.06M ▲ | $1.78B ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $1.01M ▲ | $1.94B ▲ | $546.18M ▲ | $1.39B ▲ |
| Q2-2023 | $1M ▼ | $1.79B ▼ | $502.08M ▼ | $1.29B ▼ |
| Q1-2023 | $1.63M | $1.9B | $534.97M | $1.37B |
What's financially strong about this company?
ALTEX is mostly funded by shareholders, not debt, and has a large investment portfolio. There are no hidden liabilities, goodwill, or intangible asset risks.
What are the financial risks or weaknesses?
ALTEX has very little cash on hand and can't cover its short-term bills with current assets. Debt is rising, payables are piling up, and the company has a long history of losses.
Cash Flow Statement
| Period | Net Income | Cash From Operations | Cash From Investing | Cash From Financing | Net Change | Free Cash Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1-2024 | $68.34M ▼ | $22.54M ▼ | $0 | $-22.13M ▲ | $411K ▲ | $22.54M ▼ |
| Q4-2023 | $84.82M ▼ | $46.6M ▲ | $0 | $-47.02M ▼ | $-421K ▼ | $46.6M ▲ |
| Q3-2023 | $130.48M ▲ | $17.6M ▼ | $0 | $-17.59M ▲ | $10K ▲ | $17.6M ▼ |
| Q2-2023 | $-51.57M ▼ | $44.54M ▲ | $0 | $-45.17M ▼ | $-629K ▼ | $44.54M ▲ |
| Q1-2023 | $-51.15M | $29.26M | $0 | $-28.13M | $1.12M | $29.26M |
What's strong about this company's cash flow?
ALTEX is self-funding and doesn't rely on outside money. It continues to generate positive cash flow from its core business and has no debt or dilution risk.
What are the cash flow concerns?
Cash flow from operations dropped sharply, and only a third of reported profits are turning into cash. Receivables are rising fast, and the cash balance is very low, leaving little room for error.
5-Year Trend Analysis
A comprehensive look at Firsthand Alternative Energy's financial evolution and strategic trajectory over the past five years.
ALTEX shows very strong recent profitability and cash generation, supported by a lean cost structure and a capital‑light business model. Its balance sheet carries substantial investment assets and solid equity, with comfortable liquidity in the short term. Strategically, it occupies a focused niche in alternative energy and energy technology, backed by an experienced active manager and a research‑intensive approach that targets high‑innovation companies tied to powerful long‑term trends like electrification and AI‑driven power demand.
Key risks include heavy reliance on interest and investment income for earnings, a leveraged balance sheet with meaningful net debt, and deeply negative retained earnings that signal a troubled historical track record despite current strength. The absence of visible reinvestment in physical or developmental assets and the lack of shareholder returns may suggest underutilized cash or a cautious posture. On the competitive side, the fund faces sector concentration risk, clean‑energy policy and rate sensitivity, and intense pressure from low‑fee passive products and other thematic managers.
Looking ahead, ALTEX’s prospects are closely linked to the performance of alternative energy and related technologies, as well as to its ability to continue generating strong investment results within that space. The structural tailwinds of decarbonization, grid modernization, and rising power needs for AI and electrification are favorable, but they come with high volatility and policy dependence. Financially, maintaining strong cash generation while gradually improving the balance sheet and demonstrating more consistent profitability over time would be important for strengthening its long‑term profile. Overall, the opportunity set is attractive but comes with elevated uncertainty and cyclicality.

CEO

