Johannesburg - Pretoria Portland Cement [JSE:PPC] has
reported an 8% rise in headline earnings per share to 77.6 cents for the six
months ended March 2012 from 7.8 cents a year ago.
Cement sales volumes declined 3% for the period under
review, mainly as a result of weak demand in the Western Cape and Botswana
markets. However, group revenue increased by 8% to R3.529bn as a result of
favourable pricing on cement and lime products.
An interim dividend of 38 cents per share was declared, a 9%
increase over a year ago.