Maxeon Solar Technologies Expands Patent Infringement Actions Against Aiko and its Distribution Network

Rhea-AI Summary

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Key Figures

Co-defendant distributors 4 distributors Number of German distributors named in the lawsuit

European market entry 2007 Year Maxeon began selling solar products in Europe

Market Reality Check

$3.54 Last Close

Volume Volume 68,067 is at 0.94x the 20-day average of 72,520. normal

Technical Price $3.54 is slightly above the 200-day MA at $3.46, after a prolonged decline from the $9.05 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

Key solar peers were weak, with SPWR down 4.22%, VVPR down 5.88%, SMXT down 3.94%, and FTCI down 3.57%, while SOL was flat. MAXN traded flat pre-news, suggesting today’s IP lawsuit was a company-specific development rather than part of a sector-wide move.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Sep 30	Project deployment	Positive	-5.6%	Completion of CHEST HQ solar installation highlighting efficiency and emissions reduction.
Aug 14	Earnings update	Negative	+1.5%	Weak H1 2025 results driven by U.S. import exclusion and restructuring efforts.

Pattern Detected

Recent news showed price declines on positive project news and gains on weak earnings, indicating a tendency to diverge from headline sentiment.

Recent Company History

Over recent months, Maxeon has balanced operational initiatives with financial stress. On Aug 14, 2025, it reported first-half 2025 revenue of $39 million with a $65.5 million net loss amid U.S. import exclusions, yet shares rose 1.53%. On Sep 30, 2025, a positive U.S. solar project with CHEST coincided with a 5.63% price drop. The new European patent lawsuit continues a pattern of strategic, non-operational catalysts.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement centers on Maxeon escalating patent enforcement in Europe against Aiko and four German distributors over its back contact solar technology. It follows earlier actions in Mannheim and before the Unified Patent Court, underscoring a continuing IP strategy. Investors may track how these cases progress, any rulings on injunctions or damages, and how effectively Maxeon leverages its European presence since 2007 to protect technology and channel relationships.

Key Terms

patent infringement regulatory

"filed a new patent infringement lawsuit against Aiko Solar"

Patent infringement occurs when someone makes, uses, sells or imports a product or process that is covered by another party’s patent without permission — like copying a chef’s secret recipe and selling the dish without consent. For investors it matters because alleged infringement can trigger costly lawsuits, damage awards, sales bans or forced licensing, any of which can reduce revenue, increase expenses and hurt a company’s stock value.

back contact technical

"infringe Maxeon's Back Contact solar technology IP"

A back contact is a solar-cell design where all the electrical connections are placed on the rear side of the cell instead of the front. Like moving all plugs to the back of a table so the top stays clear, this reduces obstructions on the light-facing side, boosting energy capture and often improving panel efficiency. For investors, it matters because the design can raise a product’s performance and price competitiveness while also changing manufacturing complexity, cost per watt, and potential profit margins.

permanent injunction regulatory

"refrain from infringing activities (i.e., a permanent injunction)"

A permanent injunction is a final court order that requires a person or company to stop doing, or to do, a specific act indefinitely. Think of it like a referee issuing a long-term ban or mandate that changes what a business can sell, make, or how it operates; for investors it can alter future revenue, legal costs, asset value and the risk profile of a company, so it can materially affect stock value and investment decisions.

Unified Patent Court regulatory

"2024 complaint before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Local Division"

A unified patent court is a single legal forum that hears and decides patent disputes across multiple countries at once, acting like one central courtroom instead of many separate national courts. For investors, it matters because decisions there can affect the value and enforceability of a company’s patents across a whole region at once—similar to a single referee whose ruling changes the score for every team—impacting revenue risk, litigation costs and long-term competitive advantage.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

New lawsuit filed in Munich, Germany claims Aiko and its European distributors infringe Maxeon's Back Contact solar technology IP

SINGAPORE, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd. (NASDAQ:MAXN), a global leader in solar innovation and channels, today announced that it has filed a new patent infringement lawsuit against Aiko Solar before the Munich Regional Court I in Germany. The lawsuit accuses Aiko and its European distribution network of infringing Maxeon's core back contact (BC) solar technology patent EP2297789B1 (referred to as "EP789"), specifically addressing Aiko's second-generation (Gen 2) and third-generation (Gen 3) BC solar module products currently sold in the European market.

This lawsuit follows Maxeon's previous intellectual property protection actions against Aiko and its sales channel, including a 2023 complaint filed before the Mannheim Regional Court concerning infringement of Maxeon patent EP2297788, and a 2024 complaint before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) Local Division in Düsseldorf regarding infringement of Maxeon patent EP3065184. All three patents belong to the same BC solar technology family.

Maxeon is seeking a court order for Aiko and the other defendants to refrain from infringing activities (i.e., a permanent injunction), disclose sales data for the accused products, and compensate for damages. Maxeon also seeks the destruction of infringing inventory held in Germany. Maxeon has not only targeted Aiko's manufacturing and sales entities but has also named four major German solar product distributors—Wattkraft GmbH & Co. KG, DWH Solutions GmbH, Memodo GmbH, and Tepto GmbH—as co-defendants.

"Maxeon strongly believes in free and fair competition and respecting hard-earned intellectual property rights across the entire sales channel, especially manufacturers, distributors, and major customers. Distributors who sell infringing products can be liable for injunctions and damages, even if they are not manufacturers," said Marc Robinson, Maxeon's Associate General Counsel. "As in our prior actions against Aiko, we continue to target distributors as defendants. This lawsuit should serve as a reminder that patent infringement risk is not limited to manufacturers. Manufacturers and distributors of infringing product each carry risks of patent infringement."

Maxeon has sold its solar products in the European market since 2007 under the SunPower brand, which is now marketed by TCL SunPower.

About Maxeon Solar Technologies
Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: MAXN) is Powering Positive Change™. Headquartered in Singapore, Maxeon leverages 40 years of solar energy leadership and over 2,000 granted patents to design innovative and sustainably made solar panels and energy solutions for residential, commercial, and power plant customers. For more information about how Maxeon is Powering Positive Change™ visit us at www.maxeon.com, and on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our future plans and areas of focus, our positioning and business plans for future success, and our positioning to enforce patent rights. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations and beliefs and involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause results, performance, or achievement to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is included in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") from time to time, including our most recent report on Form 20-F, particularly under the heading "Item 3.D. Risk Factors." Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC or on the Financials & Filings section of our Investor Relations website https://corp.maxeon.com/financials-filings/sec-filings.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

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SOURCE Maxeon Solar Technologies, Ltd.