Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua de CV : STANDARD AND POOR’S AFFIRMS GCC’S RATING AT BB-
September 09, 2016 at 03:51 am EDT
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STANDARD AND POOR'S AFFIRMS GCC'S RATING AT BB-, STABLE OUTLOOK AND REMOVES CREDIT WATCH NEGATIVE.
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico, September 7, 2016. Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, S.A.B. de
C.V. ("GCC" or the "Company") (BMV: GCC*), a leading producer of cement and ready mix in markets in the United States and Mexico, informs that Standard and Poor's affirmed GCC's corporate credit and debt ratings at BB- with a stable outlook, and removes the Company from Credit Watch negative.
Standard and Poor's inform they removed GCC from Credit Watch negative, where the Company was placed after its original announcement to acquire several U.S. assets, made on May 2, 2016, as a result of the Company's announcement on August 27, notifying a reduction in the value of the transaction, from $400 to $306 million U.S. dollars.
S&P indicate that GCC's credit quality will not be affected by the acquisition, because the reduction on the transaction's value implies that its credit metrics will remain in line with the current rating level, once the acquisition is completed, whereas GCC will incur additional debt to achieve it.
According to S&P, their analysis incorporates their view of the Company's strategic and unique geographic footprint, which allows for efficient product distribution across the central states of the U.S. and the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. They also consider the Company's ability to improve its operating efficiencies thanks to an extensive and sophisticated distribution network, state-of-the-art plants that are operating at full capacity in the U.S., and strategy to mitigate its exposure to energy and fuel costs through the use of alternative fuels in its cement plants.
For the 12 months ended June 30, 2016, GCC posted sales growth of 18.6% compared with the same period last year. This was driven by a favorable pricing environment, volume growth in the
U.S. and Mexico, as well as the positive effect of a stronger dollar on the Company's financial results.
About GCC
GCC is a leading supplier of cement, aggregates, concrete and construction-related services in Mexico and the United States. The Company has annual cement production capacity of 4.5 million tons. Founded in 1941, the Company's shares trade on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GCC*.
Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua SA de CV published this content on 08 September 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 09 September 2016 07:51:08 UTC.
Original documenthttp://www.gcc.com/opencms/export/sites/portal/en/investors_relations/reports/galeria_informes_y_reportes/relevant_events/Relevant-event-GCC-2016-09-07.pdf
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GCC SAB de CV, formerly known as Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua SAB de CV, is a Mexico-based company primarily engaged in the construction materials sector. The Company foocuses on the production and marketing of cement and other related building materials. The Companyâs product portfolio includes Portland grey cements, ready-mixed concrete, gypsum, additives and limestone aggregates, as well as such prefabricated products as walls, architectural concrete blocks and paving stones, among others. The Company also offers technical support and assistance for the installation of its prefabricated structures. The Company operates in Mexico and the United States, through such subsidiaries as GCC Comercial SA de CV, GCC Concreto SA de CV, GCC Rio Grande Inc, GCC Dacotah Inc, GCC Alliance Concrete Inc, Mid Continent Concrete Inc and Consolidated Ready Mix Inc.