Nexans: 2010 First-Quarter Financial Information

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* Confirmation that activity in the first three months of the year has held
steady in a difficult operating context.
* Upturn anticipated in the second quarter 2010.
* Operating margin expected in the range of 4% at June 30, 2010.
* 2010 operating margin higher than expected on June 30.

PARIS--(Business Wire)--
Regulatory News:

Nexans (Paris:NEX) today announced 2010 first-quarter sales of 1.350 billion
euros, 971 million euros at current non-ferrous metal prices*, down 11.1% at
constant exchange rates and comparable scope.

After four quarters of negative growth in 2009, sales stabilized in the first
months of 2010 at a level close to that of the fourth quarter 2009, especially
in Europe and North America, while the figure rose by nearly 10% in the MERA
(Middle East, Russia and Africa) area.

While medium and low voltage Energy infrastructure suffered severely from
particularly unfavorable weather conditions in the first quarter, special cables
for industry and LAN cables both reported a net upturn compared with the fourth
quarter 2009, confirming the positive signs observed at the end of last year.
Building remains very weak in a context of declining market prices.

Finally, despite the sharp rise in copper prices, the Group`s net debt was 197
million euros on March 31, 2010, compared with 362 million euros on March 31,
2009.

In the first quarter, the Group finalized the restructuring operations begun in
the second half 2009, especially in France, furthering its efforts to lower the
Group`s breakeven, and continued to streamline its production facilities. Fixed
costs are down by 6% at constant exchange rates compared with what they were at
the end of March 2009. Additionally, the Group rolled out a series of marketing
and manufacturing initiatives that should contribute to a structural improvement
in its operational profitability.

* To neutralize the effect of variations in the purchase price of non-ferrous
metals and therefore measure the underlying sales trend, Nexans also calculates
its sales using a constant price for copper and aluminum.

2010 FIRST-QUARTER CONSOLIDATED SALES

Q1 2009 Q1 2010 Organic Organic
growth growth
Q1 2010 vs. Q1 2010 vs.
Q1 2009 Q4 2009
(in millions of euros) At constant At constant
metal metal
prices** prices**
Energy
- Infrastructure 444 410 -12.8% -8.5%
- Industry 196 201 3.3% 9.5%
- Building 238 199 -22.4% 1.4%
Telecoms
- Infrastructure 48 40 -19.3% -8.2%
- LAN 55 56 2.8% 3.0%
Other 5 6 N/S N/S
Sub-total: Cable businesses 986 912 -11.5% -2.1%
Electrical wires 57 59 -4.7% 20.4%
Group total 1,043 971 -11.1% -1.0%

** 2009 sales on the basis of comparable data correspond to constant non-ferrous
metal sales, recalculated after adjustments for exchange rates. The exchange
effect on sales at constant non-ferrous metal prices is 48 million euros.

ENERGY

First-quarter 2010 energy sales came to 810 million euros. At constant exchange
rates, they were down 12.1% compared with the first quarter 2009.

* Energy infrastructure: soft investment in networks in Brazil and North America
was compounded by particularly unfavorable weather conditions in Europe.

Sales at constant exchange rates and comparable scope contracted by 12.8%
compared with the first quarter 2009 and by 8.5% compared with the final quarter
2009.

This contraction reflects weaker activity at the start of the year in Australia,
North America and Brazil. In the latter country, the successive deferrals of
certain infrastructure projects have resulted in a significant drop in the
workload at the Group`s plants compared with the situation at the end of the
same quarter 2009 when activity was particularly strong.

In Europe, the situation varies significantly between countries: sales in
Northern Europe have fallen due to the unfavorable weather conditions; in
Germany, utilities have continued to apply the brakes on investment; whereas in
France, sales rose by nearly 23% bolstered by strong domestic demand and
increased sales to Africa.

Sales in the MERA zone were also up sharply, especially due to the gradual
ramp-up of the Group`s Russian unit.

For high voltage, first-quarter 2010 sales were comparable to the same period a
year earlier. The Group expects to sign some significant contracts in the next
coming weeks.

With regard to submarine cables, the good level of tenders points to an increase
in the order backlog in the years ahead. Adapting the production facilities and
the rollout of additional investments are the keys to maintain this activity`s
profitability.

* Industry: initial signs of recovery in the latter months of 2009 confirmed

Sales at constant exchange rates and comparable scope rose 3.3% compared with
the first quarter 2009 and by 9.5% against the final quarter of the same year,
thereby confirming the stronger activity observed at the end of last year.

Harnesses activities, mainly for the automotive industry, rose by more than 44%
compared with the first quarter 2009 and by 17.5% compared with the trend at the
end of last year.

Special cables for industry rose 5.6% compared with the last quarter 2009, back
to more or less the same level as the first quarter 2009, after dropping
steadily throughout 2009. After a particularly sharp freefall in 2009, cables
for the robot industry reported their best quarter for a year. The restructuring
operations implemented by Nexans in 2009 in Germany, and to a lesser extent in
France, helped stabilize the situation. Nonetheless, the Group is still
continuing its efforts to streamline production between France and Germany to
ensure a more even workload distribution between its various European production
sites. Sales of cables to the transportation sector (excluding automotive)
remain strong. Rail, aeronautics, shipbuilding and offshore continue on their
upward trend.

Finally, activity seems to be picking up again for nuclear power plant cables,
which should help boost the workload at certain plants in the coming months.

* Building: activity remains very weak in a context of declining prices compared
with second half 2009

Building cable sales in the first quarter 2010 are up slightly compared with the
fourth quarter 2009, but down sharply compared with the first quarter 2009. This
stabilization is undermined by prices trending down compared with 2009 levels.
This should lead to undermining this segment`s contribution to the Group`s
operating margin in the first half 2010.

In Europe, the Group`s main markets (France, Belgium and the Scandinavian
countries) are all reporting sales down by between 12% and 17% compared with the
first quarter 2009. The UK and Spanish markets are continuing to fall with sales
down by nearly 40% compared with the first quarter 2009.

In the other countries, with the exception of Australia, sales rose compared
with the previous quarter and with the first quarter 2009.

TELECOM

First-quarter 2010 Telecom sales came to 96 million euros. At constant exchange
rates, they were down 7.7% compared with the first quarter 2009.

* Telecom infrastructure: operators defer investments

Sales dropped 19.3% at constant exchange rates and comparable scope compared
with the first quarter 2009.

This activity, mainly in Europe, suffered from operators deferring copper cable
and fiber optic cable investment projects. Projects involving the rollout of
fiber optic had already slowed significantly in 2009 and did not manage to
regain their past level in the first quarter 2010.

* Private networks (LAN): upturn in the United States confirmed

In the first quarter 2010, LAN cable activity posted organic growth rates of
about 3% compared with the first and last quarters 2009.

In the United States, where this activity had in particular suffered from the
economic slowdown, the upturn is especially strong. First-quarter 2010 sales in
the United States have outpaced the previous quarter by more than 8.6%, and by
nearly 20% compared with the first three months of 2009.

In Europe, the 4%-plus growth in systems sales compared with the first quarter
2009 was not sufficient to offset the ongoing contraction in sales of low end
cables in France. In this first quarter, the Group finalized the adaptation plan
started last September at its main plant.

ELECTRICAL WIRES: improved fit between the Group`s production facilities and its
needs

Following the European restructuring it has conducted, the Group`s production
facilities in Europe now provide a better fit with its internal needs.

In Canada and Chile, electrical wire activity is growing due to the recovery of
the automotive and household appliance sectors.

The return to breakeven announced at the end of 2009 is confirmed.

OUTLOOK

In line with its initial expectations, the Group confirms that the first quarter
has been difficult (although stable compared with last quarter 2009), which will
penalize profitability in the first half 2010.

The second quarter should see a sizeable upturn in activity, due to the end of
the unfavorable weather conditions and the tangible signs of recovery noted in
industrial sectors, LAN, and even in the North American building cable market.

Given this situation, the Group foresees negative organic growth of 4% to 5% and
an operating margin in the range of 4% at June 30, 2010. The level of sales
should continue to improve in the second semester, together with a stronger
operating margin.

Financial calendar
May 25, 2010: Ordinary General Shareholders` Meeting
May 31, 2010: Individual shareholder information meeting in Biarritz*
July 28, 2010: First-half 2010 financial results
*Provisional date subject to change

Readers should consult the Group`s Web site where they can find the Registration
Document regarding the 2009 Financial Year, which includes the full set of 2009
financial statements and the management report of the Board. This document
includes the risk factors and risk confirmation relating to the anti-trust
investigation announced on February 3, 2009.

About Nexans

With energy as the basis of its development, Nexans, the worldwide leader in the
cable industry, offers an extensive range of cables and cabling systems. The
Group is a global player in the infrastructure, industry, building and Local
Area Network markets. Nexans addresses a series of market segments from energy,
transportation and telecom networks to shipbuilding, oil and gas, nuclear power,
automotive, electronics, aeronautics, handling and automation.

A responsible manufacturer, Nexans incorporates sustainable development in its
strategy. Nexans focuses squarely on a sustainable future by providing
increasingly innovative products, solutions and services, guaranteeing the
development and the commitment of its teams, and ensuring safe and
environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.

With an industrial presence in 39 countries and commercial activities worldwide,
Nexans employs 22,700 people and had sales in 2009 of 5 billion euros. Nexans is
listed on NYSE Euronext Paris, compartment A. More information on:
www.nexans.com.

Appendix 1

First quarter
2009 2010

At actual metal prices 1,245 1,350
At constant metal prices 1,043 971
Sales at actual metal prices by business segment
Energy 1,036 1,075
Infrastructure 508 487
Industry 230 254
Building 298 334
Telecom 110 113
Infrastructure 50 46
LAN 60 67
Other 5 7
Electrical wires 94 155
Group total 1,245 1,350
Sales at constant metal prices by business segment
Energy 878 810
Infrastructure 444 410
Industry 196 201
Building 238 199
Telecom 103 96
Infrastructure 48 40
LAN 55 56
Other 5 6
Electrical wires 57 59
Group total 1,043 971
Sales at actual metal prices by geographic area of activity
Europe 731 751
North America 141 179
Asia-Pacific 140 159
Middle East-Russia-Africa 89 120
South America 147 143
Corporate area (3) (2)
Group total 1,245 1,350
Sales at constant metal prices by geographic area of activity
Europe 644 597
North America 110 100
Asia-Pacific 110 113
Middle East-Russia-Africa 71 79
South America 111 84
Corporate area (3) (2)
Group total 1,043 971

Nexans
Financial Communication
Michel Gédéon, +33 (0)1 73 23 85 31
michel.gedeon@nexans.com
or
Angéline Afanoukoe, +33 (0)1 73 23 84 56
angeline.afanoukoe@nexans.com
or
Jean-Marc Bouleau, +33 (0)1 73 23 84 61
jean_marc.bouleau@nexans.com
or
Corporate Communication
Jean-Claude Nicolas, +33 (0)1 73 23 84 51
jean-claude.nicolas@nexans.com
or
Pascale Strubel, +33 (0)1 73 23 85 28
pascale.strubel@nexans.com
or
Sabrina Bouvier, +33 (0)1 73 23 84 12
sabrina.bouvier@nexans.com

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