Displaying items by tag: Results
Cemex takes charge of its debts
16 March 2016Cemex has taken action towards its debts over the course of the last week. First, it announced that it had amended its credit agreements in order to delay the looming effects of consolidated financial leverage and coverage ratio limits by one year to March 2017 with other similar deadlines also delayed. Then it announced the pricing of US$1bn of Senior Secured Notes due in 2026, a form of secured borrowing. This was followed by confirmation of asset sales in Bangladesh and Thailand. Finally, it announced that it was seeking regulatory permission to sell a minority stake in its subsidiary in the Philippines.
This column has discussed the on-going financial travails at Cemex a few times, notably recently when the group released its fourth quarter results for 2015 and in the wake of HeidelbergCement’s announcement to buy Italcementi. Basically, it all comes down to debt, as the following graph shows.
Figure 1 - Cemex assets, debt and equity, 2006 - 2015
Cemex took on large amounts of debt following its acquisition of Rinker in 2007. Since then the value of its assets have been falling faster than it has been able to reduce its debts. However, its equity (assets minus debts) is looking like it might dip below its debts in 2016. Hence, action needs to be taken. Cemex appears to have attempted to do this over the last week. Will it be enough?
The credit amendment was probably the most pressing issue for the Cemex management given that the terms have been reliant on maintaining a leverage ratio (debt divided by assets) below a set limit. Cemex has extended the terms of the borrowing in its favour so it can keep the leverage ratio higher for longer without penalty from its creditors. Note that the leverage ratio here means the ratio between debt and operating earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBIDTA).
Selling assets and shares in Asia is the next step in cutting debt in the window the group has negotiated for itself. It holds minor cement production assets in Thailand and Bangladesh that it is selling to Siam City Cement for US$53m. These include a 0.8Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Saraburi, Thailand and a 0.52Mt/yr cement grinding plant in Madangonj, Bangladesh. Unfortunately for Cemex it purchased the Saraburi plant for US$77m in 2001 from Saraburi Cement making it a loss of at least US$24m.
A minority sale of shares in its Philippines assets is more promising. The group runs two integrated cement plants in the country, the Solid Cement Plant in Rizal and the APO Cement Plant in Cebu with a combined cement production capacity of 6.23Mt/yr and a new 1.5Mt/yr production line on the way at Solid Cement also. Local media estimate that the sale could earn Cemex as much as US$850m from the booming market. The Cement Manufacturer's Association of the Philippines reported that cement sales volumes grew by 14.3% to 24.4Mt in 2015 with more growth predicted for 2016.
The credit amendment and asset sales of US$0.9bn may give Cemex the breathing room it requires to keep the creditors at bay for a while longer. It originally refinanced its debts in 2009 at the height of the financial crisis to keep the business running until the markets picked up again. They haven’t. A question that might be legitimately asked at Cemex’s analyst day later this week, on 17 March 2016, is this: when is Cemex going to seriously tackle its debts? As the situation continues the group may end up devoting more time to managing its debts than it will to actually making cement and other building products.
Shanshui Cement warns of ‘significant’ loss in 2015
16 March 2016China: Shanshui Cement has issued a profit warning, predicting a significant loss in 2015 compared to 2014. It has blamed the impending financial result on poor market demand for cement, industry production overcapacity and management distractions with legal proceedings the company has undertaken concerning the company and its subsidiaries.
In late January 2016 Shanshui Cement defaulted on a US$270m bond. The default followed a battle for control of the company between Tianrui Cement, its biggest shareholder, and the Zhang family, its second-largest shareholder and former owners.
China Resources profit falls by 76% to US$130m in 2015
14 March 2016China: China Resources’ profit has fallen by 76% year-on-year to US$130m in 2015 from US$542m in 2014. Its revenue fell by 18% to US$3.45bn from US$4.21bn. It blamed the drop in revenue on falling demand for cement and a general economic slowdown in China.
Despite the fall in demand, sales volumes of cement rose by 7% to 77Mt in 2015 from 72Mt in 2014. The group reported that it maintained its cement production utilisation rate at a surprising 99.5% and its clinker production utilisation rate at 113.3% in 2015. It completed the construction of one 1Mt/yr cement grinding line at Lianjiang City, Guangdong and a fifth 1.6Mt/yr clinker production line at Fengkai County, Guangdong.
China Resources expects its cement and clinker production capacities to continue rising to 2018 to 87.3Mt/yr and 64.3Mt/yr respectively. It added that new infrastructure projects, the gradual recovery of real estate market and long-term national policies of the ‘One Belt and One Road’ initiative and the thirteenth five-year plan will help to stabilise cement demand in the medium and long term.
Bamburi Cement profit rises by 46% to US$83.5m in 2015
14 March 2016Kenya: Bamburi Cement’s pretax profit has risen by 46% year-on-year to US$83.5m in 2015, according to Reuters. Its turnover rose by 9% to US$386m. The rise in profit was attributed to higher sales, investment income and currency gains.
"Turnover increased... driven by increased demand in the key domestic markets in Kenya and Uganda resulting mainly from growth in large infrastructure projects and contractor segments, despite some slow down in domestic market in the last quarter," said Bamburi in a statement.
Titan sales rise by 20.7% to Euro1.4bn in 2015
11 March 2016Greece: Titan’s turnover grew by 20.7% year-on-year to Euro1.14bn in 2015 from Euro1.16bn in 2014. Its net profit rose by 9.1% to Euro33.8m from Euro30.9m. The cement producer attributed the result to growth in the US market.
Despite rising turnover in the fourth quarter of 2015 the group reported a net loss of Euro2.4m down from a net profit of Euro0.4m in the fourth quarter of 2014. This was due to its subsidiary Titan America suspending construction of a cement plant in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, resulting in a Euro12.4 impairment charge due to the suspended investment.
By region the group reported that its total turnover for Greece and Western Europe in 2015 fell by 5.6% to Euro269m, mainly due to the continued depression in the construction market in Greece. Turnover in the US grew by 45% to Euro680m, supported by a growing residential housing market particularly in the south east of the country. In Southeastern Europe turnover remained static at Euro209m. In Egypt cement demand grew by 5% but low prices in the second half of the year reduced profits. Turnover increased by 22.3% to Euro241m in this territory.
Group net debt rose by Euro81m in 2015 to Euro621m, due to high capital expenditure in 2015, the acquisition of a minority stake in Antea in Albania and the strengthening US Dollar.
Magnesita revenue rises by 18% to US$937m in 2015
11 March 2016Brazil: Magnesita’s revenue has risen by 18% year-on-year to US$937m in 2015 from US$796m in 2014. Its net loss decreased to US$294m in 2015 from US$27m in 2014. The company described 2015 as a year ‘marked by a challenging economic environment globally.’ It noted a drop in steel production in the US due to high imports, currency effects and the poor economy in Brazil.
The manufacturer’s production volumes of refractories fell by 6.9% to 958,000t in 2015 from 1.03Mt in 2014. However, its sales revenue from its refractories business rose by 15.6% to US$816m from US$706m. Although the majority of Magnesita’s refractory sales were to the steel industry, its sales volumes to other industries, including cement, fell faster in 2015 by 11.7% to 133,000t. This decrease was mainly attributed to the decline of the Brazilian cement industry and by lower demand for cement in Venezuela. Despite this, sales volume growth of 15% was reported in Middle East and Africa led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Lafarge Zambia revenue falls by 6% to US$250,000 in 2015
09 March 2016Zambia: Lafarge Zambia’s revenue has fallen by 6% year-on-year to US$250m in 2015 from US$267m in 2014. Its profit fell by 24% to US$62m from US$82m. The subsidiary of LafareHolcim blamed the results on challenging markets, power costs increase and steep currency depreciation.
“Despite new competition and challenging markets, Lafarge Zambia maintained its market leadership in 2015 both in Zambia and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a marginal reduction versus our record 2014 volume numbers. The second half of 2015 saw a combination of negative factors both in terms of market and in terms of production costs,” said Lafarge Zambia CEO Emmanuel Rigaux.
In 2016 the cement producer expects the market to be challenging for both price and volume. It intends to focus on exports markets in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. A partnership with the rail authorities including Zambia Railways Limited is also expected to further aid exports.
Dangote makes US$910m profit in 2015
08 March 2016Nigeria: Dangote Cement has reported that its profit rose by 14% year-on-year to US$910m in 2015 from US$801m. Its revenue rose by 26% to US$2.47bn from US$1.97bn. No comment on the results was given in the financial statements released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Cement production volumes for the group rose by 35% to 18.9Mt in 2015 from 14Mt in 2014. Cement production capacity rose by 87% to 42.6Mt/yr from 22.8Mt/yr.
By business region, sale revenue in Nigeria rose by 5% to US$1.95bn from US$1.86bn. Sales revenue in West & Central Africa rose by over five times to US$212m from US$31m. Sales revenue in South & East Africa rose by over three times to US$307m from US$69.8m.
The statement also reported that Dangote Group set up a 100% owned subsidiary for cement production in Nepal and two 90% owned subsidiaries for cement production in Zimbabwe in 2015.
CRH operating profit grows by 39% to Euro1.28bn in 2015
03 March 2016Ireland: CRH’s operating profit has grown by 39% year-on-year to Euro1.28bn in 2015 from Euro917m in 2014. Its sales revenue grew by 25% to Euro23.3bn from Euro18.9bn. Favourable weather, encouraging markets and currency benefits were all attributed to the positive result.
“As a result of good performance from our heritage businesses and contributions from acquisitions, 2015 was a year of significant profit growth for CRH. Strong cash generation resulted in our year-end debt metrics being ahead of target, and we are well on track to restoring these metrics to normalised levels during 2016. Recently there has been some uncertainty about the pace of global growth. Our focus remains on consolidating and building upon the gains made in 2015. Against this backdrop, we believe 2016 will be a year of continued growth for the Group,” said Albert Manifold, chief executive of CRH.
The group’s Europe Heavyside division, which includes cement production, reported a fall of 8% year-on-year to Euro3.61bn in 2015 from Euro3.93bn in 2014. Operating profit fell by 11% to Euro135m from Euro151m. Challenging business conditions were noted in Switzerland, France, Germany and Finland.
For CRH’s acquisitions from Lafarge and Holcim, the group reported that trading results were above expectations. Good performances were noted in the UK, Europe and the Philippines. However, market challenges were encountered in France, Germany and Brazil. CRH completed its purchase of Lafarge and Holcim’s European and American assets on 31 July 2015. It then completed its purchased of assets in the Philippines on 15 September 2015.
In 2016 CRH expects continued growth in the US, growth in Asia, buoyed by the Philippines and growth in parts of Europe including the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. More difficult market conditions are anticipated in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and France.
Philippines: Holcim Philippines has reported a rise in net profit of 58% year-on-year to US$171m in 2015. Its revenue rose by 15% to US$793m. It attributed the gain to increased government spending in infrastructure projects and higher construction activity. Profits also benefited from a US$55m gain from the revaluation of an investment in an affiliate. The LafargeHolcim subsidiary also reported that it is increasing its cement production capacity to 10Mt in 2016 from 8Mt in 2015 to benefit from anticipated infrastructure spending.