Oct 28 (Reuters) - Mexico's Cemex, one of

the world's largest cement producers, reported a 9% year-on-year

drop in third-quarter core earnings as it was impacted by

adverse weather across its markets and foreign exchange

headwinds.

Cemex reported quarterly earnings before interest, taxes,

depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $747 million, while

net sales fell 3% from the same period last year to $4.09

billion.

The company attributed just under half of the EBITDA

shortfall to weather-related disruptions.

Cemex also revised its full-year EBITDA guidance, lowering

it from a previously expected low-to-mid single-digit increase

to a low single-digit increase.

Harsh weather conditions disrupt supply chains and

construction projects, impacting demand and squeezing profits

for companies like Cemex.

Despite the challenging conditions, net income more than

tripled to $406 million thanks to portfolio optimisation and

efficiency measures, the company said in a statement.

However, the tough operating environment in Mexico and the

United States - its two largest markets - resulted in a 5% drop

in sales in the former and a 4% decline in the latter, despite

Cemex's pricing strategy.

The Mexican peso weakened more than 13% against the US

dollar year-on-year by the end of September, which weighed on

Cemex's foreign earnings.

Chief Executive Fernando Gonzalez said Cemex was focused on

expanding in the US and deleveraging, supported by recent

divestitures worth $1.4 billion during the third quarter,

bringing the total announced divestitures of non-core assets to

$2.2 billion for the year to date.