Dimitrovgrad-based fertiliser maker Neochim booked slightly over BGN 3 million non-consolidated profit for 2007, down by 14.7% year on year. Neochim managed to improve significantly its performance in the last quarter of the year. The company had booked a 42-percent year on year decrease in profit for the first nine months of 2007. Neochim's sales revenue totalled BGN 184.5 million for the period January to December 2007, up by BGN 2.9 million compared to the year-ago period. The business costs of the company amounted to BGN 178 million in 2007, up by BGN 3 million compared to 2006. Dimitrovgrad-based Euro Fert is a majority owner in Neochim with a 49-percent stake. Lebanese company Karimex Chemicals International holds a 16-percent stake in the fertiliser maker. Neochim's stock depreciated by 5.78% to BGN 59.19 per share on Tuesday.
Source: Pari (30.01.2008)

Shumen-based aluminium producer Alcomet reported a 12.82% decline in earnings to 3.977 mln levs for '07 as costs rose 15.54% to 249.97 mln levs and revenues increased 15.08% to 253.96 mln levs. Fertiliers maker Neochim saw a 3.46% pop in consolidated profit to 3.353 mln levs in '07. Consolidated revenues ticked up 2.21% to 190.112 mln levs while costs added only 1.84% to 186.395 mln levs. Publishing company Billboard said unconsolidated profit rocketed up 210.97% to 4.677 mln levs last year with revenues reaching 16.082 mln, up 73.93% y/y, and costs gaining 40.06% to 10.884 mln levs.
Source: Dnevnik (29.02.2008)

Bulgaria's Neochim booked BGN 189.3 million sales revenue for 2007, an increase of BGN 3.7 million compared to 2006. The operating revenue of the company totalled BGN 190.1 million in 2007, a 2.2-fold rise compared to the previous year. Neochim's net profit amounted to BGN 3.3 million in 2007, compared to BGN 3.2 million booked for the year-ago period. Neochim posted BGN 186.3 million operating costs for the past year, up by BGN 3.3 million year on year. Euro Fert is a major shareholder in Neochim with a 49.31-percent stake. Neochim's stock appreciated by 2.84% to BGN 58 per share on Thursday.
Source: Pari (29.02.2008)

Shareholders of Neochim JSC will vote for the buyback of shares at the regular annual general meeting on June 6, 2008. The maimum number of shares liable to buyback is 3 percent of their total number, which is up to 79,630 shares. The period for the buyback is 180 calendar days from the day after the announcement. It will be done at minimal price of BGN 50 per share and maimum price – BGN 70. The shareholders will give the right to perform the procedure to the Board of Directors through an authorized intermediator.
Source: Darik Radio (15.04.2008)

Dimitrovgrad-based chemical plant Neochim will buy back its shares from the capital market, it emerged from a notice to the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE). The proposal for the operation will be voted at a general shareholders' meeting on June 6, 2008. If approved, the public company will buy back up to 3% of its capital from the BSE, or 79,630 shares. The term of the buy-back will be up to 180 days after the operation is announced but it can be extended by decision of the board of directors. The price of the operation will range between BGN 50 and BGN 70 per share.
Source: Pari (16.04.2008)

Friday's trade on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange ended in a rosy mood. The highest jump was registered by the broad index BG40 of the most traded stocks: by 3.31% to 314.39 points. The blue-chip Sofix added 2.01% to 1,142.38 points, while BGTR30 of the best performers in total return gained 1.65% to 776.44 points. BGREIT of real estate investment trusts was the only index to fall: by 0.20% to 94.16 points. Neochim and Orgachim led the list of winners, each boosting its market capitalisation by roughly 4.50% to an average of BGN 64.82 and BGN 322.12, respectively. Albena's shares dropped by 1.60% to BGN 86.
Source: Pari (10.05.2008)

Shareholders of Neochim JSC decided to allocate BGN 0.5 as dividends per share. The decision was taken at a general meeting, at which has also been voted on the buyback of up to 3% of the capital of the Dimitrovgrad-based company up to 180 days at a minimum price of BGN 60 and maximum price of BGN 95. Neochim JSC reported an unconsolidated financial results for the first three months of the year at the amount of BGN 22.296 million, compared to a profit of BGN 6.336 million for the same period the previous year.
Source: Darik Radio (10.06.2008)

The General Meeting of the shareholders of Neochim - Dimitrovgrad, Bourse code NEOH, which was held on June 6, 2008, reported profit BGN 3 008 000. Decided that they should distribute dividends for 2007 BGN 1 327 179. The gross dividend per share is BGN 0.50.
Source: Capital market (11.06.2008)

Indexes end lower at end of week Three of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) indexes ended on negative territory on June 27. BGTR30 of the best performers in total return lost 1.09% to 768.11 points. The blue-chip Sofix and the broader BG40 of the most traded stocks ended at 1,141.47 points and 306.60 points, respectively. Both declined by less than 1%. BGREIT of real estate investment trusts added 2.17 points to 95.93 points. M+S Hydraulic shares went down by 9.95% to BGN 9. Industrial Holding Bulgaria gained 3.70% to a closing price of BGN 7.
Source: Pari (30.06.2008)

Dimitrovgrad-based chemical plant Neochim posted a 40.3-percent increase in sales revenue for the first half of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, the company's non-consolidated report showed. The measurer amounted to BGN 180.54 million at the end of June 2008, compared with BGN 128.7 million a year previously. There is a stable growth trend in Neochim's sales over the years. The year-on-year rise for the first half of 2007 compared with 2006 was 14.8%.
Source: Pari (31.07.2008)

A Dutch-registered unit of Bulgarian business conglomerate Chimimport has placed a 65 mln euro corporate bond with an option to increase the size of the issue by up to 15 mln euro. The proceeds will be invested in the expansion of the company through strategic acquisitions and for general business purposes, the company said in a statement. The seven-year convertible bonds have a 7% interest coupon. If Chimimport shares appreciate by more than 130% over the conversion price set at 10.984 levs per share, the company has the option to buy back the bonds at its own discretion but no sooner than August 22, 2011. The short-term goals of the company include the merger of the Lukoil Garant and CCB Sila pension insurance companies and air carriers Hemus Air and Bulgaria Air, Chimimport said back in June.
Source: Dnevnik (19.08.2008)

Zlaten Lev Solar SPLTD, subsidiary of Zlaten Lev Holding JSC, has signed a loan contract with Unicredit Bulbank JSC. It amounts to EUR 540 thousand, with a deadline for repayment 12 years, and 7.48% interest rate on an annual basis. Zlaten Lev Holding JSC established for the benefit of Unicredit Bulbank JSC first registered pledge on 51 739 dematerialized registered shares from the capital of Neochim JSC, owned by the former privatisation fund.
Source: Banker (21.08.2008)

Bulgarian fuel trader Gastrade and Bulgarian-Romanian joint venture Unitranscom were awarded railway freight transportation licences. They will compete on the market with Bulmarket, Bulgarian Railway Company and BDZ, the Bulgarian national railway carrier. Unitranscom is owned by freight railway car maker TransWagon and Romanian railway freight carrier Unifertrans. The company plans to transport freight of chemical fertilisers producer Neochim and Mini Cherno More mines, which carries coal to the heating utility in Sliven, central Bulgaria. From 2010 it will target chemical companies and offer international freight transportation.
Source: Dnevnik (13.10.2008)

The crisis on BSE led to unseen sales of blue chips. For the first ten days of October Sofix lost 26.1% while 12 of the 20 companies represented in the index had lower share drop, analysis of Pari Daily shows. The lowest slide was registered by Lead-Zinc Complex AD, Kardjali, and M+C Hydraulic with a drop of share value by 6.9% and 8.7% respectively. Neochim occupies the third place by losing 11.3% of its share values.
Source: Pari (14.10.2008)

Heavy industry wrestles with faltering foreign demand Bulgaria’s exporting heavy industry companies were the first to feel the pressure of a slowing foreign demand spawned by the worst economic crisis in decades. Fertiliser makers Agropolychim and Neochim, steel maker Stomana Industry and cast iron foundry Tchugunoleene all unveiled measures aimed to address the shrinking market. “Conditions in Europe have changed so rapidly inside a single month that we are having to cut jobs,” said Anton Petrov, regional manager of Greek Viohalco, which owns Bulgarian steel maker Stomana Industry though its unit Sidanor. The market is so unpredictable that no one can tell what will happen in the future, Petrov said. Stomana Industry will slash output by some 30%, and Sidenor will lay off some 300 workers from its subsidiaries. The company is shedding non-core operations to shield its main business. Tchugunoleene, which ships some 85% of its production abroad, will trim workforce by 25% as Italian, French and German customers are cutting down on orders.
Source: Dnevnik (14.11.2008)

The chemical works and hotels in Bulgaria were the first to feel the blow of the world financial crisis. On Wednesday Agropolichim announced they would stop functioning, yesterday one more fertilizer producer stopped production. Neochim would start working again when the market recovers, the company reported. Troubles are expected in the nearest future in Pirdop copper works that is the main sulfuric acid supplier for Agropolichim. The copper works is one of big clients of the State Railways (BDZ) that will suffer another stroke after the closing down of Kremikovtsi steel works. "A tsunami of bankruptcies and layoffs will befall tourism. Some of Bulgaria's seaside hotels will not open at all next season," Albena resort CEO, Krassimir Stanev said. He believes only those who lower prices and increase service quality will survive.
Source: Standart (14.11.2008)

The end of the week brought new drops of the indexes and a new wave of pessimism. The benchmarks registered new records. The blue-chip Sofix dipped by 3.87% to 391.47 points. The broad BG40 of the most traded stocks dropped by 0.31% to 117.41 points. BGREIT of real estate investment trusts lost 0.40% and BGTR30 of the best performers in total return fell by 3%. The total turnover was only about BGN 1.5 million.
Source: Pari (17.11.2008)

The total collapse of the oldest index on BSE made half of the players to expect positive change in the following month, Pari daily’s regular Bullish Bearish Sentiment inquiry showed. Exactly 50% believe that the level of Sofix is so low that an upward change quite close. Two times (to 21%) has increased the number of investors foreseeing new drop of the blue chips. 29% of the asked believe the benchmark will continue to waver in the next 30 days.
Source: Pari (17.11.2008)

Dimitrovgrad-based Neochim AD increased its total incomes, the non-consolidated report of the company for the nine months of 2008 showed. The turnover rose by 76.7% to BGN 260.55 million, which is an increase by 11% year on year, survey of Pari daily shows. The profit of the fertiliser maker grew 28.5 times. By the end of the period sales revenues appreciated by 76.65% on an annual basis to BGN 25.99 million.
Source: Pari (20.11.2008)

The optimists on Bulgarian stock exchange are back, Pari daily's regular Bullish Bearish Sentiment inquiry showed. Two thirds (or exactly 67%) of the brokers believe in the rise of the blue-chip Sofix in the next four weeks. Only 8% of those asked forecast drop of the leading benchmark against 21% in the last survey and 25% of the investors are of the opinion that it will keep its present level.
Source: Pari (24.11.2008)

Bulgartransgas, a unit of state-owned Bulgargaz, is bracing up for a 10% to 15% drop in gas distribution revenue next year after key consumers cut down production capacities, executive director Angel Semerdjiev said. Fertiliser maker Agropolychim and steel mills Stomana Industry and Kremikovtzi are reducing output, and fertiliser producer Neochim may postpone the completion of a planned repair as the crisis grows deeper. Over 3 billion cu m of gas was distributed in Bulgaria last year. Flagging consumption will not hurt supplies quality as there are new consumers waiting to be hooked to the grid, said Semerdjiev.
Source: Dnevnik (24.11.2008)

The reverse takeover of part of public companies have not shown the expected effect, analysis of Pari daily shows. Most active in that is Monbat battery manufacturer included in the blue-chip Sofix. It has finalized three procedures and bought back a total of 373,760 lots. At the beginning of last week the company started its fourth procedure. The price of shares dropped from BGN 11.4 to BGN 4 but even if it continues to fall, we will not stop the reverse takeover, president Bobokov said for Pari.
Source: Pari (25.11.2008)

Only one of the 40 companies, included in the calculation of the broader BG40 index of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE), posted an increase in stock price in November, Profit.bg data show. Petrol's stock appreciated by over 50% last month. Infrastructure companies Holding Roads and Moststroy were BG40's biggest losers last month after their stock depreciated by 57 and 43%, respectively. Neochim's stock has also lost over 40% of its value over the past month. The stock of five other companies - Industrial Holding Bulgaria, Lead & Zinc Complex, Bulgarian American Credit Bank, Fazerles and Industrial Capital Holding each appreciated by more than 30% last month, while Billboard and Sparky Eltos shed 29% each.
Source: profit.bg (02.12.2008)

Neochim, the Bulgarian chemical fertiliser producer, has kicked off a gradual relaunch of operations following an annual maintenance break, the company said. The management said a few weeks ago that the restart will be put off because of the global financial crisis. The nation’s other chemical fertiliser producer, Devnya-based Agropolychim, shut down ammonium fertilizers capacities. Good financial results have so far shielded Neochim’s stocks from the global economic deterioration. The company’s shares rose 5.4% to BGN 39 yesterday.
Source: Dnevnik (10.12.2008)

Dimitrovgrad-based chemical fertiliser maker Neochim will turn to the domestic market in a bid to weather the global economic slump, said Alexander Ganev, the company’s investors’ relations head. The firm cut prices and offered further bonuses for quantities of over 500 tonnes but was adamant this was nothing more than a holiday promotion. Vasil Alexandrov, head of the nation’s other chemical fertiliser plant, Agropolychim, said the company had pinned all hopes on domestic demand as exports were dead at the moment. The Bulgarian fertiliser market is stagnating under waning global demand, according to Agropolychim experts.
Source: Dnevnik (16.12.2008)