CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CEMEX") (NYSE:CX), announced today that, in line
with CEMEX’s current initiatives of enhancing financial flexibility and
reducing risk, it has obtained the required consents to amend its
facilities agreement dated September 29, 2014, as amended and restated
(the “Credit Agreement”), in order to delay the scheduled tightening in
its consolidated financial leverage and coverage ratio limits by one
year. The formalization of the amendment is subject to customary
conditions and is expected to be finalized in the following days.
Pursuant to the amendment, the leverage ratio covenant in the Credit
Agreement will remain at 6.0 times until and including March 31, 2017,
and will gradually decline to 4.0 times by June 30, 2020, and the margin
grid in the Credit Agreement will be modified such that if the
consolidated leverage ratio is greater than 5.50 times in the reference
periods ending on December 31, 2016, March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017, and
September 30, 2017, the applicable margin will be 425 bps instead of 400
bps. All other levels in the margin grid remain unchanged.
In addition, the Credit Agreement will be amended to allow CEMEX the
right, subject to meeting local requirements in the Philippines, to sell
a minority stake in a subsidiary that directly and indirectly mainly
owns CEMEX’s cement manufacturing assets in the Philippines.
"The amendment underscores the recognition given to CEMEX's business and
financial strategy by its core banks," said Jose Antonio Gonzalez,
CEMEX’s Chief Financial Officer. “We are pleased by their continued
support and we remain committed to our stated targets of enhancing free
cash flow, asset disposals and debt reduction, which should contribute
to our objective of receiving an investment grade credit rating."
CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality
products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than
50 countries throughout the world. CEMEX has a rich history of improving
the well-being of those it serves through its efforts to pursue
innovative industry solutions and efficiency advancements and to promote
a sustainable future.
This press release contains forward-looking statements and
information that are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of CEMEX to be materially different from those expressed or
implied in this release, including, among others, the non-formalization
of the amendments to the Credit Agreement, changes in general economic,
political, governmental and business conditions globally and in the
countries in which CEMEX does business, changes in interest rates,
changes in inflation rates, changes in exchange rates, the level of
construction generally, changes in cement demand and prices, changes in
raw material and energy prices, changes in business strategy and various
other factors. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties
materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual
results may vary materially from those described herein. CEMEX assumes
no obligation to update or correct the information contained in this
press release.
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