Bancolombia, Bematech, Cemex, Telemar: Latin Equity Preview

By Paulo Winterstein and [bn:PRSN=1] William Freebairn []

Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes in Latin America trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close. Preferred shares are usually the most-traded class of stock in Brazil.

The MSCI Latin America Index rose 1.3 percent to 4,027.4.

Brazil

Bematech Industria & Comercios de Equipamentos Eletronicos SA (BEMA3 BS): The Brazilian maker of business software and hardware plans to repurchase up to 2.7 million voting shares, or 8.6 percent of outstanding stock, during the next year, Sao Jose dos Pinhais-based Bematech said in a regulatory filing yesterday. Bematech rose 2.2 percent, to 7.46 reais.

Telemar Norte Leste SA (TMAR5 BS): The operating unit of Brazil's biggest fixed-line phone company will pay stockholders 3.9 billion reais ($2.42 billion) in extraordinary dividends by Sept. 19. The dividend payment will be discussed in a board meeting on Aug. 28, the Rio de Janeiro-based company said in a filing posted yesterday on the Web site of Brazil's securities agency. Telemar was little changed, adding 2 centavos to 86.21 reais.

Colombia

Bancolombia SA (BCOLO CB): The country's biggest lender placed 600 billion pesos ($322 million) in bonds. Demand for the issue totaled 1.64 trillion pesos, it wrote in an e-mailed statement yesterday. Bancolombia rose 0.7 percent to 14,800 pesos.

Mexico

Cemex SAB (CEMEXCP MM): The local unit of the largest cement maker in the Americas polluted the environment and did not re- invest profits, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said yesterday in a televised appearance. Venezuela seized Cemex's local unit this week as part of a plan to nationalize key industries. Cemex has said it is seeking arbitration over the seizure, saying Venezuela offered less for its unit than for cement operations of competitors in the country. Mexico City-based Cemex fell 1.7 percent to 20.57 pesos.

Consocio Hogar SAB (HOGARB MM): The Zapopan, Mexico-based homebuilder had its issuer credit rating lowered two levels to Ba2 by Moody's Investors Services. The builder has had a ``substantial decline'' in sales and losses in the first half of this year, Moody's said in a statement yesterday, adding that it could lower the rating further. Hogar rose 3.6 percent to 3.15 pesos.

To contact the reporters on this story: William Freebairn in Mexico City at wfreebairn@bloomberg.net; Paulo Winterstein in Sao Paulo at pwinterstein@bloomberg.net.