Southern Province Cement Co, Saudi Arabia’s biggest cement producer by market value, said second- quarter profit will rise an estimated 28 per cent to SAR237m (US$63m) from SAR185m in the year-earlier period.

Sixth-month earnings per share are estimated at SAR3.31, compared with the SAR2.68 during the year-earlier period, the company said in a statement on the Saudi bourse website today.