Topic: How To Invest

Q: Hi Pat: Could you comment on Cemex please and let me know if it is okay to hold? Thanks

Article Excerpt

A: Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (ADRs), $8.04, symbol CX on New York (ADRs outstanding: 1.4 billion; Market cap: $11.3 billion; www.cemex.com), is a Mexican company engaged in the production, distribution, marketing, and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates. Cemex continues to work to improve its balance sheet: this year, it sold assets to raise $2 billion U.S.; and it plans to sell more assets to further cut that debt an additional $1 billion to $1.5 billion in 2017. The company’s total debt now stands at about $12.8 billion U.S., or 113% of its market cap. Rising residential construction activity in the U.S.—along with increased Mexican infrastructure projects—has helped to push up Cemex’s ADRs from $3.50 at the start of this year. Overall, the company’s prospects are tied to local construction activity in each of its six regions: Mexico, the U.S., Northern Europe, the Mediterranean region, South America and the Caribbean, and Asia. Due to its size, Cemex has a number of advantages, including…