Corporate viewpoint and analysis

Lafarge - February 2010

Lafarge's turnover declined by 16.5% to €15,884m in 2009 and the EBITDA fell by 22.0% to €3,600m, with the pre-tax profit dropping by 46.0% to €1,306m and the net attributable profit by 53.9% to €736m. Thanks to the €1.5bn rights issue and €919m of asset disposals, the net debt at the end of December declined by 18.3% to €13,795m, to give a more sustainable gearing level of 82.1%, compared with 115.4% a year earlier. To continue, Subscribers click here

Holcim - February 2010

The two Holcim-controlled Indian companies ACC and Ambuja Cements produced their 2009 results in early February. ACC increased its turnover by 10.2% to Rs. crore 8,479.55 (€1,350.9m) and the pre-tax profit advanced by 38.5% to Rs. crore 2,250.70 (€358.6m) with cement deliveries moving ahead by 2.4% to 21.52m tonnes. To continue, Subscribers click here

HeidelbergCement - February 2010

HeidelbergCement's preliminary figures show a drop in turnover of 21.6% in 2009 to €11,117m, with the EBITDA falling by 28.6% to €2,102m and the trading profit by 38.6% to €1,317m. The financial situation has been improved through the increased the equity base and the subsequent improvement in the debt profile. To continue, Subscribers click here

Cemex - February 2010

Cemex is receiving a direct cash injection of some US$100m from the sale by the Ready Mix USA LLC joint venture of twelve active quarries and certain other assets to a San Francisco-based investment vehicle, for US$420m. To continue, Subscribers click here

Italcementi - February 2010

Italcementi's turnover declined by 13.3% in 2009, to €5,006.4m, of which consolidated Italian operations contributed about €731m, a drop of 26.7%. Group cement deliveries were down by 11.1% to 55.7m tonnes and the cement turnover declined by 11.9% to €3,638.6m, with the most notable drops in volume incurring in North America and in Italy as well as in international cement trading. To continue, Subscribers click here

Buzzi Unicem - February 2010

Buzzi Unicem's turnover declined by 24.1% last year to €2,672m, with which Dyckerhoff accounting for a 30.9% drop to €1,369m. The weaker performance of the Dyckerhoff operations can be put down to the sharp drop in Russian and Ukrainian volumes, and to a lesser extent, the EU countries in Eastern Europe. To continue, Subscribers click here

Cimpor - February 2010

Carmago Corrêa, with its agreements to acquire the interests of Teixeira Duarte and Atlansider, has obtained the largest direct stake in Cimpor with 28.3%, though Votorantim, with a 21.2% stake has entered in a shareholders' agreement with Caixa Geral de Depositos, which gives 30.8% of the votes to the consortium. To continue, Subscribers click here

Votorantim - February 2010

In acquiring Lafarge's 17.3% investment in Cimpor, Votorantim became a major negotiator of the future of Cimpor. To continue, Subscribers click here