Cementos Argos 2Q 2025 Net Income Soars 1,475% Year-on-Year
Medellin-based cement/concrete giant Cementos Argos (a division of Grupo Argos) on August 13 announced a 1,475% year-over-year jump in second quarter (2Q) 2025 net income, hitting COP$245 billion (US$61 million) – overwhelmingly due to profits on the sale of its former partial holdings in Summit Materials in the U.S.
As for first half (1H) 2025, adjusted net income also rose 167% year-on-year, to COP$381 billion (US$94 million) — once excluding a one-time gain from the Summit sale, the company explained.
Revenues for 2Q 2025 actually dipped 4.5% year-on-year, to COP$1.28 trillion (US$318 million), while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 5.8% year-on-year, to COP$295 billion (US$73 million), according to the company.
The gains in net income and EBITDA came via “strong pricing discipline and sustained efficiency efforts implemented across various geographies, despite cement and ready-mix volumes declining by 4.4% and 19.7%, respectively,” according to the company.
“Operationally, performance across regions was mixed. Positive developments included volume recovery in Colombia in June [2025] and continued growth in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
“In contrast, demand in Guatemala remained unmet due to reduced exports from Honduras following a longer-than-expected kiln stoppage in 1Q 2025, and the Panamanian market continued to underperform,” the company added.
As for its Colombia results, first half (1H) 2025 revenues have fallen 9.5% versus 1H 2024, “mainly due to lower volumes across cement, ready-mix, and aggregates,” according to the company, citing “construction slowdowns caused by higher interest rates and reduced subsidies.”
Nevertheless, “looking ahead, we expect improved market conditions in the second half of the year, supported by stronger performance on two fronts,” “according to the company:
“First, the advancement of commercial and infrastructure projects at the city level–particularly in the central and northern regions of Colombia where a growing demand is expected.
“Second, the continuation and activation of key national infrastructure projects, such as Hidroituango [hydroelectric dam construction in Antioquia, due for completion in 2027] and Bogota’s Metro mass transit project . . .
“Moreover, in the medium term, we remain optimistic about the housing sector, backed by a 24.9% year-on-year increase in national housing sales during the first half of 2025, signaling a recovery in residential demand compared to the same period in 2024,” Cementos Argos added.
