Alfa, Alsea, Ecopetrol, Natura, Pampa: Latin Equity Preview

By James Attwood and William Freebairn

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes today 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 fell 14 percent to 1,902.31 yesterday.

Argentina

Pampa Holding SA (PAMP AF): The electricity holding company lowered the price on a planned share buyback to a range of 50 centavos to 1.3 pesos, it wrote in a regulatory filing yesterday. Pampa canceled a public purchase offer announced Oct. 14, which was priced at 1.10 pesos to 1.35 pesos. Pampa fell 6.7 percent to 84 centavos, extending a loss since the previous buyback was announced to 30 percent.

Brazil

EZ Tec Empreendimentos e Participacoes SA (EZTC3 BS): The real-estate developer said third-quarter contracted sales rose 24 percent to 90 million reais ($37.7 million). The value of new projects declined to 41 million reais in the quarter, compared with 65 million reais a year ago, EZ Tec said in a statement sent yesterday. EZ Tec fell 10 percent to 1.95 reais.

Natura Cosmeticos SA (NATU3 BS): Brazil's biggest cosmetics company said third-quarter profit rose 32 percent from the year- earlier period to 154 million reais. Natura fell 2.3 percent to 17.01 reais.

Chile

Cencosud SA (CENCOSUD CC): Chile's biggest retailer is scheduled to open its first Easy home improvement store in Bogota, Colombia, today. Cencosud fell 13 percent to 1,005 pesos.

Colombia

Ecopetrol SA (ECOPETL CB): Colombia's state oil company and two subsidiaries of BP Plc will jointly drill for natural gas at depths of more than 20,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast. The companies will spend $120 million on the first phase of exploration, Ecopetrol said yesterday. Ecopetrol fell 5.3 percent to 2,055 pesos.

Mexico

Alfa SAB (ALFAA MM): The world's largest maker of aluminum engine heads and blocks received $225 million in loans after posting a loss from derivative investments. The loans vary in maturity from six months to a year and are mostly in dollars, Chief Financial Officer Alejandro Elizondo said. Alfa fell 9.4 percent to 28.77 pesos.

Alsea SAB (ALSEA* MM): The operator of Starbucks Coffee shops and Domino's Pizza franchises in Mexico said third-quarter net income fell 67 percent to 39.3 million pesos ($2.9 million), or 40 centavos a share, from a year earlier. Alsea fell 6.5 percent to 6.50 pesos.

To contact the reporters on this story: James Attwood in Santiago at jattwood3@bloomberg.net; William Freebairn in Mexico City at wfreebairn@bloomberg.net.