Mexico Kimber quarterly net gains on volume, prices

MEXICO CITY, July 16 (Reuters) - Leading paper products company, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, said on Thursday its second-quarter net profit rose 14 percent, driven by higher prices and sales volume of its core consumer products.

The company, known as Kimber (KIMBERA.MX), earned 1.086 billion pesos ($82.5 million) between April and June, compared to 954 million pesos in the year-ago period.

Net sales rose 8 percent to 6.195 billion pesos.

"Our main business, consumer products, grew 8 percent as a consequence of 2 percent volume growth and 6 percent better price and mix," the company said.

Higher sales volumes were achieved in almost all of Kimber's categories and particularly in wet wipes.

In late April and early May, Mexicans fearful of the H1N1 flu epidemic flocked to supermarkets to buy hand wipes and disinfectant.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 11 percent to 1.979 billion pesos in the second quarter, year over year.

Shares of Kimber, a unit of U.S. paper giant Kimberly-Clark Corp (KMB.N), ended up 0.60 percent at 51.59 pesos before quarterly results were disclosed on Thursday afternoon. ($1 = 13.17 pesos as of end June) (Reporting by Cyntia Barrera Diaz; editing by Carol Bishopric)