Displaying items by tag: Results

Greece: The consolidated revenues of the Titan Cement Group came to Euro371m in the first quarter of 2021, a decrease of 4% compared to the first quarter of 2020. The company said that the decline was due in part to the weakness of the US Dollar and currencies linked to it. It said that organic growth was solid, with revenue rising by 3% in local currency terms.

During the first quarter of 2021, Titan’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 38% to Euro56.1m compared to Euro40.6m in the same period of 2020. However, Titan noted that deferred maintenance costs, which will now be reflected in the second quarter of 2021, would have pegged its first quarter EBITDA back by around Euro8.3m.

The group said that 2021 started positively, with robust demand in the US, particularly in March 2021. It also observed solid market trends in Southeast Europe, as well as continued favourable momentum in Greece and some improvement in the eastern Mediterranean.

All product lines showed positive trends in terms of sales volumes. The group's cement and clinker sales increased by 3%, supported by increased demand in most markets. Ready-mixed concrete and aggregate sales volumes increased by 1% and 3% respectively.

Japan: Taiheiyo Cement recorded full-year consolidated net sales of US$7.89bn in its 2021 financial year to 31 March 2021, down by 2% year-on-year from US$8.07bn in the 2020 financial year. The group’s net profit rose by 20% to US$427m from US$357m. Domestic cement sales volumes fell by 4.8% to 13.8Mt and exports sales dropped by 2.2% to 3.8Mt. The cement producer attributed this to falling local demand for cement since June 2020 due to the suspension of construction work in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It also noted a shortage of construction workers.

India: Birla Corporation’s consolidated revenue fell by 1.6% year-on-year to US$936m in its 2021 financial year that ended on 31 March 2021 from US$951m in its 2020 financial year. Its cement sales volumes decreased by 1.8% to 13.4Mt from 13.6Mt. However, its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 1.2% to US$195m from US$193m. It blamed falling sales on the coronavarus pandemic but it said it was able to increase earnings and profits by ‘aggressively’ rationalising costs.

"In the light of the massive disruptions faced at the beginning of the financial year, the 2021 financial year wasn't disappointing from the standpoint of profitability. Our performance reflected the resilience we have built over the years to external shocks. We also benefited from the stimulus provided by the government. But in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic, the year ahead looks more challenging. To my mind, India's ability to contain the pandemic through rapid inoculation and other means holds the key to economic revival," said Harsh Vardhan Lodha, chairman of Birla Corporation.

The cement producer also said that work on its new 3.9Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Mukutban, Maharashtra had been delayed due to a shortage of workers related to the ongoing health crisis. The plant is currently scheduled for commissioning by the end of the 2021 calendar year.

Colombia: Grupo Argos subsidiary Cementos Argos increased its consolidated net sales by 6% year-on-year to US$618m in the first quarter of 2021 from US$582m in the first quarter of 2020. Cement sales over the period rose by 19% to 4.1Mt from 3.5Mt. The company’s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 30% to US$119m from US$91.5m. Its net profit was US$14.7m, compared to US$1.07m in the first quarter of 2021.

The company recorded increased cement volumes in all regions during the quarter. The sharpest regional increase was of 21%, to 1.4Mt from 1.2Mt in the Caribbean and Central America Region. In Colombia, volumes increased by 19% to 1.2Mt from 1.0Mt and net sales increased by 15% to US$161m from US$139m.

Chief executive officer Juan Esteban Calle said, “We are mindful of the social and economic challenges that Colombia is facing after more than 4m people fell below the poverty line as a consequence of the economic impact of the pandemic. We consider ourselves part of the solution and will continue working to build a better country with our optimism intact.”

The company also updated its climate change strategy in line with its target of carbon neutral concrete by 2050.

India: Aditya Birla subsidiary UltraTech Cement’s net sales rose by 6% year-on-year to US$6.04bn in its 2021 financial year from US$5.70bn in the same period in 2020. Its cement sales volumes increased by 5% to 80.2Mt. The company’s profit before interest, depreciation and tax grew by 24% to US$1.68bn from US$1.35bn. It attributed the result to ‘prudent’ working capital management and control on cash flows aided by its overheads control programme.

The producer forecast an increase in cement consumption from pent-up urban construction demand in the 2022 financial year.

Italy: Buzzi Unicem’s first-quarter consolidated net sales fell by 1% year-on-year to Euro683m in the first quarter of 2021 from Euro689m in the first quarter of 2020. Cement sales volumes were 6.2Mt, up by 3% from 6.0Mt. Adverse weather caused slight sales declines in Europe and North America. The company called full-year growth prospects for 2021 ‘encouraging.’

Germany: HeidelbergCement’s consolidated net sales rose by 1% year-on-year to Euro3.96bn in the first quarter of 2021. Its result from current operations before depreciation and amortisation (RCOBD) rose by 33% to Euro538m from Euro405m in the same period in 2020. Group cement and clinker sales volumes rose by 2% to 28.4Mt from 27.7Mt. Cement volumes rose by 11% in Western and Southern Europe to 6.8Mt from 6.1Mt, by 5% in Asia-Pacific to 8.8Mt from 8.4Mt and by 1% in Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin to 5.2Mt. Volumes fell by 5% in North America and by 4% in Northern and Eastern Europe-Central Asia to 3.1Mt and 4.4Mt respectively.

Dominik von Achten said, “HeidelbergCement has made an excellent start to 2021. In all group areas, we have once again been able to significantly increase our results and margins compared with an already strong first quarter in 2020. This is a seamless continuation of our very good development in recent quarters.”

Mexico: Elementia recorded standalone net sales of US$363m in the first quarter of 2021, up by 18% year-on-year from US$309m in the first quarter of 2020. The group’s Mexican cement sales rose by 25% to US$74.9m from US$60.0m. Its US cement sales rose by 6% to US$58.9m from US$55.8m and its Central American sales rose by 18% to US$6.13m from US$5.19m. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 52% to US$51.2m from US$33.6m. In early March 2021 the group announced that it was starting a spin-off process to form a new company from its metals and building systems businesses as part of an ongoing corporate strategic reorganisation.

Nigeria: Dangote Cement’s revenue grew by 35.5% year-on-year to US$874m in the first quarter of 2021 from US$655m in the same period in 2020. Cement sales volumes rose by 18.7% to 7.5Mt from 6.3Mt. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 56% to US$468m from US$300m. Revenue and sales volumes increased fastest in Nigeria but earnings increased faster in the rest of Africa.

“We took the strategic decision to pause our clinker exports to ensure we meet the rapid volume growth in the Nigerian domestic market. We are improving the output of our existing and new assets and aim to recommence clinker exports in the second quarter,” said Michel Puchercos, the company’s chief executive officer. He added that the company had also ramped-up its new 3Mt/yr Obajana Line 5.

India: Dalmia Bharat’s consolidated revenue rose by 9% year-on-year to US$1.43bn in its 2021 financial year from US$1.31bn in the same period in 2020. During the period, which ended on 31 March 2021, its sales volumes of cement grew by 7% to 20.7Mt from 19.3Mt. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 32% to US$377m from US$285m.

Puneet Dalmia, the managing director of Dalmia Bharat said, “I am delighted with our company’s performance this year. The performance is backed by broad-based revenue growth of 9.0% across each region of our operation and EBITDA margin expansion. Through a much disciplined execution, we have successfully increased our capacity by 16% while simultaneously pre-paying our gross debt.”