We’re initiating a position in Nextracker , buying 350 shares at roughly $48.18. Following Thursday’s trade, Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust will own 350 shares of NXT with a weighting of about 0.5%. Nextracker makes solar tracker systems that allow huge utility-scale rows of solar panels to rotate and follow the sun’s movement across the sky throughout the day, maximizing their power generation. It’s the “backbone” of any solar power system, as management would say. We’re using proceeds from Thursday’s exit of Foot Locker to fund this addition. We’re calling up Nextracker from the Bullpen , viewing its 24% pullback over the past couple of weeks as a good entry point to start a new position. As you can tell by its recent trading, this is a highly volatile name that is sensitive to interest rates and government policy. It’s why we are starting this position on the smaller side, leaving plenty of room to scale over time. Nextracker stands out for its leadership in a fast-growing market. Its original innovation was a single-row tracker technology that allows each row of panels to move independently, rather than all in unison. While this was once considered too expensive, Nextracker was able to lower its input pricing to the point where they’re now much more competitive. Over the years, the company added additional features to its product line of integrated hardware and software. Some of these features include self-powering systems, software that helps improve the energy yield on uneven terrain or bad weather conditions, and equipment that protects solar panels during hail storms, which is one of the leading causes of panel breakage. In response to customers needing something to mitigate hail damage risk, Nextracker developed an industry-first “hail stow” technology. Its most advanced system is fully automated and can provide up to a 75-degree rotation angle. Nextracker is the global market share leader in this space, with the highest-quality and most reliable product with the lowest install cost, operating cost, and levelized cost of energy (LCOE), which is a measure of lifetime costs divided by energy production. Its U.S. business accounts for roughly two-thirds of the company’s revenue. The international market is more competitive and its margins are lower than the corporate average, but the company believes there are opportunities to gain market share and pricing over time. The company reported a strong set of fourth-quarter results in May, with revenues up 42% year over year, much higher than expected, and adjusted EBITDA of $160 million versus $134 million expected. On adjusted earnings, analysts expected the company to make 68 cents per share, but it earned 96 cents per share. NXT YTD mountain Nextracker YTD For the full-year fiscal 2025, Nextracker management guided revenues in line but adjusted EBITDA ahead of estimates and adjusted EPS below estimates at the midpoint. However, some analysts pointed to management’s strong execution since becoming a public company, raising guidance each quarter in fiscal 2024, as a sign that guidance could be conservative. What makes solar, and the renewable industry at large, so appealing is that energy usage has increased dramatically over the past few years, driven by growth in data centers, electrification of appliances and vehicles with the need for more charging stations, and reindustrialization across the United States. It’s one of the reasons why we have been so bullish on Eaton . In a recent note by UBS, the analyst points out that Amazon , Meta , Microsoft , and Google represented 40% of total U.S. utility-scale solar demand over the last five years. Just four companies. Why are they huge buyers? These mega-cap tech companies are committed to 100% renewable power or clean energy. They are committed to decarbonizing. But here’s the thing: their needs may dramatically increase in the years ahead because of AI, which we know uses 10 times more electricity per query than a traditional Google search. And training has much higher power needs than your traditional cloud infrastructure. UBS argues that if these companies are in the early stages of exponential electricity demand growth, we should see demand for renewable projects increase along with it. Most will come from utility-scale solar projects that need tracker systems from either Nextracker or a competitor. Solar projects are a solution to these demand challenges because it is the lowest-cost option for new power. Its why CEO Dan Shugar explained on the last earnings call that solar deployments are accelerating in most of the world. Shugar’s positive view is also based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts of a 5% annual increase in new power generation needs over the next five years, and solar being the fastest growing energy technology with a 26% compound annual growth rate over the next five years. Nextracker’s record backlog of over $4 billion, up from $2.6 billion, surely supports this view. Even with all this growth happening at Nextracker and in the industry at large, we’re talking about a stock that trades at only 16 times the midpoint of its adjusted EPS outlook. If the stock can trade up to 18 times the high end of its full-year earnings guidance, the stock will trade at $55. We’ll set our price target at that level and note it is still $5 below where the stock traded in mid-June. The company has a strong liquidity position, which matters in this industry. Solaredge got slammed Tuesday after offering convertible notes and took down the whole group with it. Last quarter, Nextracker had about $470 million in cash and $150 of debt on the balance sheet and generated more than $400 million of cash flow over the full year. The company is not allowed to pay dividends or repurchase stock until 2026 due to the rules related to the spin from Flex , so what it can do instead build cash and use what’s leftover for disciplined mergers and acquisitions. Last week, it announced it paid $119 million to buy Ojjo, a renewable energy company specializing in foundation technology and services used in utility-scale ground-mount applications for solar power generation. Putting it all together, we are interested in renewables and solar stocks because energy needs are increasing around the world. Nextracker stands out to us in the group because of its technology leadership, strong balance sheet, and track record of execution. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
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Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
Image: Climate XChange
The Luxury Raffle
Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
Ticket price: $250.
Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
Ticket price: $100.
Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrekbefore December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
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The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
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The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
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After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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