According to market reports, the September quarter results of many cement companies show a positive trend with the government?s thrust on infrastructure sector. Market analysts feel that shares of cement companies are already pricing in the start of an upcycle in the industry.

Mangalam Cement hits record high
Mangalam Cement has surged 4 per cent to Rs 330 on National Stock Exchange (NSE) after India Capital Fund purchased 602,596 equity shares or 2.26 per cent stake of the company through open market.

On November 17, 2014 India Capital Fund bought 446,414 shares of Mangalam Cement at Rs 315 on the BSE and bought 156,182 shares at Rs 315 on the NSE, according to the bulk deal data.

The stock opened at Rs 320 and touched a record high of Rs 336 on NSE. A combined 190,417 shares changed hands on the counter till 1107 hours on NSE and BSE.

The company?s trailing 12-month (TTM) EPS was at Rs 9.70 per share. (Sep, 2014). The stock?s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio was 32.48. The latest book value of the company is Rs 189.93 per share. At current value, the price-to-book value of the company was 1.66. The dividend yield of the company was 1.9 per cent.

Shree Cement Q2 net dips 37 per cent
Shree Cement reported a 37 per cent dip in net profit for the July-September quarter of the current fiscal at Rs 108.81 crore on higher expenses. The company, which has an annual capacity of 17.5 million tonne, had clocked Rs 172.22 crore net profit in the same quarter last fiscal, according to its BSE filing.

Total income, however, rose to Rs 1,608.08 crore during the reporting quarter from Rs 1,247.54 crore in the corresponding period, a year earlier. Expenses, on a host of heads including raw material and fuel costs, on the other hand, rose to Rs 1,490.51 crore from Rs 1,112 crore in the year-ago period.

The company consumed raw material worth Rs 137.41 crore from Rs 104.53 crore. Power and fuel costs escalated to Rs 413.47 crore from Rs 300.45 crore. Freight expenses went up to Rs 316.99 crore from Rs 249.32 crore. Depreciation charges in the quarter also increased to Rs 222.65 crore from Rs 113.87 crore in the same period, last year.

India Cements back on profit track
The India Cements has reported a satisfactory performance during second quarter of this year against cost pressure and weak demand in the south. According to official estimates, cement industry grew 9 per cent at the national level in the first half of this year ending September 30, 2014 against practically nil growth in the previous year. South was the weakest among the regions.

India Cements, during the second quarter ending September 30, 2014 improved its net plant realisation which helped to offset the drop in volume and the cost increases. This resulted in an EBIDTA (operating profit) of Rs 183 crore in Q2, FY 15 against Rs 134 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 7.49 crore. Net sales improved to Rs 1131.68 crore (Rs 1093.78 crore). The board at the meeting held on November 12, 2014 approved the proposal for raising an amount not exceeding Rs 500 crore by way of issue of issue of QIP/FCCB/GDR/other securities to improve the leverage and for meeting normal capital expenditure.

Ramco Cements Q2 net jumps five-fold
The Ramco Cements Ltd, formerly Madras Cements Ltd, reported about five-fold jump in its standalone net profit to Rs 89.71 crore for the second quarter ended September on the back of cost reduction and improved realisation. The company had posted a net profit after taxes, minority interest and share in profit/(loss) of associates at Rs 18.27 for the same period in the previous fiscal, it said in a statement.

Total income from operations for the July-September quarter also increased by Rs 30.72 crore to Rs 951.43 crore from Rs 920.71 crore in the same period a year ago. For the half-year ended September 30, the net profit of the company escalated 44.59 per cent to Rs 125.97 crore from Rs 87.12 crore in the year-ago period. For the first half of the current fiscal, Ramco?s total income from operations increased marginally and stood at Rs 1,910.58 crore, up from Rs 1,907.89 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

The lower production and sale of cement during the half-year under review is due to continued slackness in demand for cement in key areas of its market, the company said. The fillip for infrastructure activities due to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh is expected to materialise in the coming months.