Enphase (ENPH.US) surpasses Q4 profit and guidance expectations amid robust U.S. solar demand.

Enphase Energy, a solar inverter manufacturer, reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter operating profit and guidance on Tuesday, driving its stock up about 6% after hours on strong demand.Enphase Energy's fourth-quarter adjusted operating profit was US$120.4 million, topping analysts' average estimate of US$100.4 million.Revenue in the U.S., Enphase's largest market, rose 6% sequentially on increased sales of microinverters.The U.S. solar giant expects revenue of US$340-380 million in 2025, compared with analysts' estimate of US$333.85 million.Enphase said the forecast includes 150-170 megawatt-hours of IQ batteries (used to store excess solar energy for later use) shipments, as well as about US$50 million in "safe harbor" revenue from customers whose installations are planned to take more than a year to complete.Enphase "had a nice pop in the after-hours, but this (including 'afe harbor' revenue in the first-quarter guidance) may not be well received as Wall Street is fully baked in," Gordon L. Johnson, an analyst at GLJ Research LLC, said.Enphase is also reportedly planning to move its battery manufacturing out of China to avoid tariffs imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump."We need to produce battery packs outside of China, and that's our focus for the next year," Enphase's CEO said, without specifying where the company would move its business.Several U.S. solar stocks rose after hours on Tuesday, including Emeren Group (SOL.US), SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG.US) and Array Technologies (ARRY.US), which rose more than 3%, 3% and 2%, respectively.