Votorantim Cimentos announces 2024 financial results

Votorantim Cimentos' global net revenue in the year totaled R$26.6 billion, on par with 2023, excluding changes in foreign exchange rates, primarily as result of the positive performance in European and Asian countries and stability in Brazil. Cement sales volume in 2024 totaled 35.4 million t, up 1% compared to the previous year.

Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was R$6.5 billion, a record high for the second consecutive year and up 9% compared to 2023, in local currency. The improvement in operating results can be attributed to the company’s balanced portfolio (especially in its operations in Europe and Asia), operational efficiency combined with lower variable costs in most regions, and the positive impact of new businesses, in addition to gains resulting from the sale of non-strategic assets in North America and Uruguay. The EBITDA margin in the year was 24%, 2 percentage points higher than 2023.

Last year, Votorantim Cimentos’ investments (Capex) totaled R$3.2 billion, up 38% compared to 2023. This increase is in line with the global strategy of investments in decarbonisation, competitiveness and new businesses. Regarding the R$5 billion investment plan announced in early 2024 to strengthen operations in Brazil, R$1.9 billion is already being executed, including a comprehensive program of structural growth and competitiveness through 2028.

This investment plan includes a project to modernize the kiln and biomass system at the Xambioá plant (Tocantins state, in Brazil) to increase the site’s co-processing rate. Similarly, last year, the first phase of a modernisation project in the Salto de Pirapora plant (São Paulo state, in Brazil) was completed, leading to a marginal increase in clinker production capacity as the site seeks to accelerate thermal substitution and reduce CO₂ emissions. A new cement grinding plant is also being built at the Salto de Pirapora plant, which will add 1 million tpy to the site’s production capacity. Construction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.

In 2024, expansion projects in Brazil included the start of operations at a new site in Itaperuçu (Paraná state, in Brazil), increasing the capacity related to new businesses, such as Viter (agricultural solutions) and Verdera (waste management and co-processing). In addition, Votorantim Cimentos announced last year the expansion of the Edealina (Goiás state, in Brazil) site, a R$200 million investment in the construction of a new cement grinding line that will double the plant’s production capacity, to 2 million tpy of cement. The project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.

“We ended the year with record-high operating results, supported by our geographic, product and business diversification, in line with our strategic mandate. We continued to advance our programme of modernisation, competitiveness and acceleration of new businesses, as well as the implementation of our decarbonisation and sustainability strategy, aligned with our 2030 public commitments,” said Osvaldo Ayres, global CEO of Votorantim Cimentos.

Votorantim Cimentos ended 2024 with leverage (measured by the net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio) of 1.66x, an increase of 0.29x compared to 2023, considering only continuing operations. The increase resulted from changes in foreign exchange rates and the payment made to CADE at the end of December 2024, related to the agreement to close all administrative and judicial litigation involving the company and the agency, partially mitigated by the improved operating results.

The rating agency Fitch Ratings upgraded Votorantim Cimentos’ global credit rating from “BBB-” to “BBB”, with a stable outlook. In addition, Moody’s and S&P Ratings reaffirmed Votorantim Cimentos' “Baa3” and “BBB” global credit rating, respectively, with a stable outlook. With that, the company has maintained its investment grade credit rating.

“Votorantim Cimentos ended the year with financial strength, low leverage and strong liquidity, supported by improvements in credit ratings and debt opportunities with issuances at the lowest historical spread levels. We ended 2024 with a cash balance and financial investments of R$5.2 billion. This amount will allow the company to meet its financial obligations for the next four years,” said Antonio Pelicano, Global CFO of Votorantim Cimentos.

The company posted adjusted net profit of R$2.2 billion in 2024, 17% lower than in the previous year due to financial expenses, including the early settlement of a bond originally due in 2027.

At the end of 2024, Votorantim Cimentos paid R$1.1 billion to the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE, in Portuguese) in connection with an agreement to end all administrative and judicial litigation involving the company and the Brazilian antitrust agency, in accordance with the rules of the “Desenrola Agências Reguladoras” program. Through this program, the Brazilian federal government offered individuals and companies with pending disputes with public agencies and foundations the opportunity to resolve their issues under mutually beneficial, consensus-based conditions. As a result of this extraordinary transaction and the agreement, Votorantim Cimentos definitively resolved all pending disputes with CADE. Votorantim Cimentos did not acknowledge, at any time, having committed any unlawful act or engaged in any anticompetitive behaviour.

In line with its decarbonisation plan, Votorantim Cimentos continued to advance projects to expand its capacity to use alternative fuels from biomass and waste globally. In Spain, the company started a carbon capture pilot project at its Alconera plant, capturing 1 tad of CO₂. This initiative is one of the industry’s first carbon capture experiments in Spain and aims to improve knowledge about carbon capture technologies, representing a significant step in the decarbonisation journey. Votorantim Cimentos has also extended its carbon capture experience to North America and is working on a pilot project using membrane-based capture technology at its Charlevoix plant (Canada). Since 1990, the baseline year for historical measurements, Votorantim Cimentos has reduced its CO₂ emissions by 28%.

Performance by region

In Brazil, Votorantim Cimentos’ 2024 net revenue was R$12.9 billion, on par with 2023, with higher sales volume, which was offset by price dynamics. The company’s adjusted EBITDA in the country totaled R$2.6 billion, up 4% compared to 2023. The lower variable costs, higher sales volume and progress in new businesses contributed to this result.

In North America, net revenue totaled R$8.2 billion in 2024, down 4% compared to 2023, excluding changes in foreign exchange rates. This resulted from the market slowdown, which mitigated the favorable price dynamics in the period. Adjusted EBITDA for the region was R$2.3 billion in 2024, up 6% over 2023 in local currency, as a result of operational efficiency and the sale of non-strategic local assets, leading to a significant recovery in margins.

In Europe and Asia, net revenue grew 10% in 2024 compared to 2023, totaling R$3.9 billion, excluding changes in foreign exchange rates. The positive performance resulted from an increase in sales volume and price dynamics, both in Spain and Turkey. Adjusted EBITDA for the region was R$1.1 billion, a 32% increase compared to 2023, in local currency. The positive operating result was due to the previously mentioned market dynamics and the reduction of variable costs, mainly fuel and electricity. Votorantim Cimentos also concluded an important cycle of capturing synergies from the assets acquired in recent years in Southern Spain. In 2024, Votorantim Cimentos signed agreements for the sale of its assets located in Tunisia and Morocco. The conclusion of these transactions is subject to the fulfillment of conditions precedent, including approval by regulatory authorities. Reflecting the reclassification of Tunisia and Morocco as discontinued operations, due to the sale of these assets in 2024, the consolidated information does not consider the results of these two countries.

In Latin America, net revenue was R$903 million in 2024, down 2% compared to 2023, in local currency, as a result of challenging market dynamics in both Uruguay and Bolivia. The region ended 2024 with R$158 million in adjusted EBITDA, 10% lower than 2023, excluding the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates. The result was impacted by market conditions and higher variable costs, which were partially mitigated by the sale of a non-strategic asset in Uruguay.

Click here for free registration to World Cement

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/20032025/votorantim-cimentos-announces-2024-financial-results/