INDIA'S AMBUJA CEMENTS MISSES Q4 PROFIT ESTIMATE ON LOWER PRICES

Ambuja Cements (ABUJ.NS), India's second-largest cement maker by market capitalization, announced on Wednesday a smaller-than-expected increase in profit for the fourth quarter, with lower prices weighing on earnings. Cement manufacturers are anticipated to demonstrate subdued income from sales in the quarter, primarily due to a nearly 5% sequential decline in cement prices across India. During the March quarter, cement makers typically witness strong volumes as they reduce prices to clear year-end inventory backlogs. Analysts also predict that lower fuel costs and domestic coke prices will help mitigate the impact of weak cement prices.

On the other hand, UltraTech Cement (ULTC.NS), the largest Indian cement maker by market value, along with Dalmia Bharat (DALB.NS) and ACC (ACC.NS), have announced better-than-expected profits for the fourth quarter. These companies experienced robust sales volumes, which offset the adverse effects of weaker pricing during the quarter.

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