[Original] Cemex: Net Sales Increase 4% Year-on-Year in the Second Quarter of 2014

   Cemex, Mexico's cement giant, recently announced its performance report for the second quarter of 2014. The report shows that in the second quarter of 2014, Cemex's consolidated net sales reached $4.2 billion, up 4% from the same period last year.

   It is understood that the increase in Cemex's consolidated net sales is due to the increase in the price of Cemex's products in all its operating regions (in local currency), as well as the increase in sales in the United States, the Mediterranean, South and Central America, and the Caribbean and Asia.

   In addition, in the second quarter of 2014, Cemex's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 1% year-on-year to US $737 million, but on a comparable and adjusted basis, the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 3% year-on-year; the operating income before other expenses increased by 1% year-on-year to US $456 million; Gain on controlling interest was $76 million, Cemex's first profitable quarter since 2009; free cash flow after maintenance capex rose to $63 million from- $86 million in the same period last year.

   Cemex CEO Fernando A. Gonzalez commented, We are pleased with the strong sales trends of our three core products so far this year, and we continue to successfully execute our "value over volume" strategy. We expect our results in Mexico to improve in the second half of the year, contributing to the improvement of EBITDA for the full year of 2014.

   Mexico

   In Mexico, Cemex's net sales fell 4% to US $816 million from US $847 million in the same period last year, and its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell 1% to US $247 million.

   America

   In the US, Cemex reported a 10% increase in net sales to $957m and an increase in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to $119m from $80m in the same period last year.

   Northern Europe

   In the Nordic region, net sales were $1.1 billion, up 5% from a year earlier, and EBITDA was $121 million, up 12% from the same period last year.

   The Mediterranean region

   In the Mediterranean region, Cemex reported net sales of $449 million, up 12% from a year earlier, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 6% to $100 million.

   South, Central and Caribbean

   In South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Cemex's net sales were $562 million, little changed from the same period last year, and its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell 16% from 211 million to $178 million.

   Asia

   In Asia, Cemex's net sales fell 2% to $160 million; EBITDA was $34 million, down 11% from a year ago.