Novelis Inc. said Tuesday it sees a split in geographical demand, with Chinese and other Asian markets outstripping "essentially flat" demand in North America.

But thanks to higher metal prices, lower conversion costs and rekindled demand across emerging markets, the Atlanta-based aluminum roller and recycler posted net income of $195 million in its fiscal second quarter, up 36.4 percent from $143 million in the previous quarter and a marked turnaround from a $104-million net loss in the same period last year.

The company said modest demand increases across Asia and Latin America contributed favorably to the quarter-over-quarter improvement, but noted that overall industry reductions in year-over-year demand are still weighing heavily on the market.

"Current demand is somewhat of a mixed bag," president and chief operating officer Philip Martens said in the company's earnings conference call Tuesday. "On one...