(Reuters) – A unit of Mexico’s Cemex is to start trading on Colombia’s bourse on November 16, according to a preliminary offering calendar seen by Reuters, as one of the world’s biggest cement makers raises more cash to help it bounce back from a financing crunch.
The offering, which could yield at least $750 million, is expected to be priced on November 7, pending approval by Colombia’s market regulator.
The prospectus of the Cemex Latam Holdings offering is to be published on the Colombian stock market’s website on October 29, said the document, provided to Reuters by one of the deal’s book runners on Thursday.
As part of several steps recently taken by Monterrey-based Cemex to raise cash, the Mexican company decided to list Cemex Latam Holdings in the Colombian stock market.
During a conference call with analysts earlier this week, Cemex (CMXCPO.MX) said it was ready to proceed with the transaction and that it was just waiting for Colombian authorities to sign off on the deal to move ahead with the listing.
Cemex was hurt by the 2008 U.S. housing meltdown shortly after paying out $16 billion to buy Australian peer Rinker. It has been digging itself out of deep debt obligations for the past three years.
Chief Executive Lorenzo Zambrano, who has headed the company since 1985, has been under pressure and has sought to reassure investors that the former emerging market darling can recover.
Cemex shares plunged to 13-year lows late last year on doubts over whether Zambrano could turn around the company’s finances.
However, the shares have since soared and are trading around their highest level since early 2011 after creditors agreed to refinance the company’s debt.
It recently wrapped up a $7.2 billion refinancing package that gave it much-needed room to push back looming debt payments for up to four years. The umbrella deal also included a debt swap, a $1 billion prepayment and revised financial covenants.
Two weeks ago, the company completed a $1.5 billion sale of 10-year notes amid heavy demand from investors, signaling the market is more at ease with its steps to regain financial health.
Cemex shares added 0.51 percent to 11.80 pesos in morning trading on the Mexican stock exchange while its New York-traded stock rose 0.87 percent to $9.2.
