Ultratech to Shriram Cement: Price hikes key trigger for cement majors

Cement had a slow quarter with volumes up 3 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y on average in the second quarter of the current financial year (Q2FY25). Seasonal weakness has hurt demand. Ultratech Cement saw volumes up 3 per cent, while Shriram Cement was the top volume gainer at 9 per cent, with Dalmia Bharat up 8 per cent. But aggregate realisations fell 7 per cent Y-o-Y and about 2 per cent Q-o-Q with prices falling sequentially.

 

Operating profit margin pressures may have been offset a little by lower fuel costs. But aggregate Operating profit/tonne fell by over 25 per cent Y-o-Y