Holcim 2004 profit seen up on higher cement prices

Holcim 2004 profit seen up on higher cement prices
28 February 2005


Holcim, is expected to report a rise in full-year profit next Wednesday after higher cement prices and efficiency gains  more than outweighed growth in raw material costs, analysts said. Holcim is benefiting from a pick-up in cement  demand in North America and parts of Europe on the back of the economic recovery. Its 2004 net income is seen up 3 per cent at  an estimated 944 million Swiss francs ($813m), according to the average forecast in a Reuters poll of six analysts.

Holcim said it expected to clearly exceed its target of eight per cent internal growth for operating profit in 2004 and  forecast "substantially stronger results", helped by an improved  market environment in North America. 

Published under Cement News