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Vicat Surges: Emerging Markets Fuel 10.8% Sales Growth
31 Jul
Summary
- Group sales increased 10.8% organically, boosted by emerging markets.
- EBITDA rose 13.6% like-for-like, with strong contributions from Africa.
- Full-year guidance upgraded to 7%-9% growth amid rising energy costs.
Vicat announced strong first-half 2026 financial results, with group sales reaching EUR2.36 billion, marking a 10.8% increase on a like-for-like basis. This growth was primarily fueled by emerging markets, which saw acceleration, alongside stabilization in Europe and recovery in the United States. The company's EBITDA also performed well, climbing 13.6% like-for-like to EUR367 million, with a notable margin improvement to 18%.
Emerging regions were significant drivers of this success. Africa contributed substantially, with cement and aggregate EBITDA in Senegal showing marked increases. Egypt achieved an impressive EBITDA margin of 41.7%, bolstered by strong export demand. However, the company faced challenges including an 11.6% rise in energy costs during the first half, with expectations of further increases in the latter half of the year.
Despite these cost pressures and negative foreign exchange impacts, Vicat has upgraded its full-year 2026 guidance. The company now anticipates 7%-9% like-for-like growth in both sales and EBITDA. This positive outlook is tempered by caution regarding the second half of the year due to a more challenging comparison base in several high-performing countries during H2 2025 and anticipated energy cost escalations.
