Eternit remains one of the companies with the highest returns for its shareholders, with dividend yield of 6.9% in 1H14

SAO PAULO, Aug. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Eternit S.A. (BM&FBOVESPA: ETER3; OTC: ETNTY) announces its results for the 2Q14.

The performance of the construction materials sector in 2Q14 was well below the growth expected for the period by the Brazilian Association of Construction Material Industry (ABRAMAT), mainly due to the reduction in the number of working days because of the World Cup. However, the Company outperformed the sector despite the fact that the second quarter is seasonally a period of lower demand for Eternit.

The volume of chrysotile mineral sold in 2Q14 was 70,500 tons, decreasing 11.0% from 2Q13 due to the lower demand for construction materials in the domestic market and the non-recurring slowdown of the economies in Asia. In the same period, fiber-cement sales, including construction solutions, reached 190,000 tons, down 2.2% from 2Q13, whereas concrete roofing tiles sales decreased 20.0%, mainly due to the slowdown of the construction materials sector and a change in the behavior of consumers, who reduced the pace of renovations and retail purchases.

Consolidated net revenue in 2Q14 came to R$ 220.6 million, down 8.6% from 2Q13, mainly due to the lower sales volume of its portfolio, which was partially offset by the price increase in the fiber-cement and concrete roofing tiles segments, as well as the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Brazilian real.

In 2Q14, EBITDA reached R$ 35.3 million, decreasing 25.7% from 2Q13, chiefly due to the lower sales volume of chrysotile asbestos, fiber-cement and concrete roofing tiles, and the non-recurring increase in operating expenses resulting from the administrative and commercial restructuring of the subsidiary Tegula. As a result, net income decreased 33.2% from 2Q13 to R$ 18.1 million in 2Q14.

Investments in 1H14 totaled R$ 44.0 million, primarily allocated to the installation of a unit for the research, development and production of construction material inputs and the maintenance and modernization of the Group's industrial facilities.

In 2014, Eternit's dividend yield is already at 6.9%, with earnings distributed to shareholders amounting to R$ 53.7 million.

Conference call/Webcast

Date: 08/08/14

Time: 11.00 a.m. Brazilian Local Time – 10.00 a.m. New York – 3.00 p.m. London

Presentation can be followed on the website link www.ccall.com.br/eternit/2q14.htm  or

by telephone, dial the following telephone number (1-786) 924-6977 - Password: Eternit

IR Team Contact - +55 (11) 31914-3881/3194-3872 ri@eternit.com.br