Earnings per share (EPS) decreased to Rs2.12 compared with an EPS of Rs2.73 in the period under review. This takes the six-month (Jul-Dec) profit to Rs2.25 billion (EPS of Rs4.12), down 14% compared with Rs2.62 billion (EPS of Rs4.97). Cement industry capacity utilisation touches 99%According to a Topline Securities report, the result was in-line with market expectations. Maple Leaf Cement’s share price decreased 2.6% to end at Rs69.76, down 2.6% on a day the KSE-100 index climbed to 43,627, up 685 points or 1.59%. Consolidated gross margins significantly contracted by nine percentage points year-on-year to 35% in the outgoing quarter.

Source: The Express Tribune February 17, 2018 04:30 UTC