Ambev's profit is close to r $ 2.6 billion for the quarter

SAO PAULO-the Ambev's net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company (the basis for the payment of dividends) reached r $ 2.546 billion in the first quarter of this year, 76.6% value greater than the registered in the same period in 2013.
The increase in net profit which it is for the more advanced controllers that the consolidated net profit of the company, which improved 9.4% to R $ 2,596 billion.
In the statement sent to the Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) on Wednesday, Ambev informs you that the beer segment in Brazil presented growth of 21.1% in net revenues and 8.8% in soft drinks in the quarter.
On the side of costs, Ambev points out that the cost of sales, General and administrative increased 17.2% in the range, impacted mainly by spending on sales and marketing in Brazil, as a result of the commercial strategies together the investments related to the Fifa World Cup 2014, plus distribution expenses, impacted by a greater weight of direct distribution in Brazil.
According to Ambev, the strong performance of the volume of beer in the country was influenced by favorable weather conditions during the summer and Carnival, combined with a lower comparison base last year.
Net revenue increased 15.5% on the same basis of comparison, totaling R $ 9,045 billion, compared to R $ 7.832 billion for the first quarter of 2013. Gross profit advanced 17.6%, reaching r $ 6,036 billion, compared to R $ 5,134 billion in the first three months of the previous calendar. Gross margin fell to 66.7% in the first quarter of 2014, compared to 65.6% in the same interval last year.
The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda, the acronym in English) presented elevation of 11.6% in the first quarter, to $ 4,044 billion, comparable to $ 3,623 billion a year earlier. The cost of goods sold surged to 11.5% in the first quarter of 2014, to R $ 3,008 billion.
The total volume of drinks rose 6.9% to 42.984 million Hectoliters, up from 40.218 million hectoliters in the same period in 2013. In the first three months of this calendar, the volume of beer increased by 8.4%, to 31.204 million hectolitres, and soft drinks, 3% for 11.779 million hectolitres.
Ambev reported that, except for the volume of investments ("capex") scheduled for 2014, the remaining points of the company's projections for the market this year remained unchanged compared to those who had been exposed in the previous balance sheet.