Cemex, Ecopetrol Take Honors in LatinFinance Best Corporates Awards


NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jul 21, 2015) -  Cemex has been named Overall Best Corporate in the Capital Markets by LatinFinance in the publication's 2015 Best Corporates in the Capital Markets Awards. The award recognizes the leading issuers in the capital markets between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. Cemex stood out for its consistent and innovate approach to reducing debt costs that allowed the company to post its first profit in five years. "Cemex has tapped a wide variety of instruments and investors across a number of markets and provides a strong example of how to cut leverage," said LatinFinance editor in chief Katie Llanos-Small.

Cemex has also won the Best Bond Market Strategy: High Yield and Best Capital Markets Strategy: Mexico categories. These awards recognize the leading high yield issuer for its activity in the debt capital markets and the leading issuer for activity in the capital markets in Mexico, respectively. Cemex has tapped local and cross border markets, refinanced bank loans and converted bonds into equity over the awards period.

Ecopetrol has garnered the award for Best Loan Market Strategy, which recognizes the institution that has performed most impressively in the loan markets. Ecopetrol sealed a $1.92 billion club loan that stands out for its upsizing, terms and speed of execution compared to transactions from more highly-rated borrowers. The company has also won the award for Best Capital Markets Strategy: Andes, an award that recognizes the winner's activity and performance in the capital markets in the Andean region. "Ecopetrol garnered appeal from lenders and investors, and set new benchmarks for itself in the financial markets, all despite plummeting oil prices," said LatinFinance editor in chief Katie Llanos-Small.

Other winners in LatinFinance's Best Corporates in the Capital Markets 2015 Awards include Marfrig, JBS, Grupo Gloria and Fibra Uno. See the full list below.

LatinFinance Best Corporates in the Capital Markets winners:
The LatinFinance Best Corporates in the Capital Markets awards acknowledge the most impressive issuers across Latin America and the Caribbean between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. Full details on the winner in each category can be found at latinfinance.com/bestcorporates.

Overall Best Corporate In the Capital Markets-Cemex
Best Bond Market Strategy: High Yield - Cemex
Best Capital Markets Strategy: Mexico-Cemex
Best Capital Markets Strategy: Andes-Ecopetrol
Best Loan Market Strategy-Ecopetrol
Best Bond Market Strategy: High Grade-Pemex
Best Equity Markets Strategy-Fibra Uno
Best Capital Markets Strategy: Brazil-Marfrig
Best Regional M&A Strategy-Grupo Gloria
Best Ex-Regional M&A Strategy-JBS
Best Capital Markets Strategy: Central America & the Caribbean-Digicel

Notes for editors:
LatinFinance's Best Corporates in the Capital Markets Awards are Latin America's most prestigious and rigorously judged awards for excellence in utilizing debt, equity and M&A markets.

Selection process:
The awards are selected by the LatinFinance editorial team. The selection process takes into account the market significance or strategic importance of respective issuers' deals as well as how these transactions were structured, received and executed. Volume and diversity of transactions, innovation and approach to market timing and examination of financial data also went toward determining the winning institutions. For more information on the awards go to latinfinance.com/bestcorporates.

About LatinFinance
Since 1988 LatinFinance has distinguished itself as a leading source of intelligence on the financial markets and economies of Latin America and the Caribbean. Published from New York and Miami, with a network of correspondents across the region, the Daily Brief delivers the latest news and deal coverage, while the magazine and data-intensive website, latinfinance.com, add the further context and analysis required to do business in these fast-moving markets. Covering debt, equity, structured finance, syndicated loans, private equity and M&A, as well as multilateral financing, people moves and secondary trading, LatinFinance is the essential provider of news and analysis that can't be found anywhere else. For more information please visit latinfinance.com.

Contact Information:

For more information please contact
Hilary Neil
hilary.neil@latinfinance.com

LatinFinance Best Corporates in the Capital Markets 2015 Awards