Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte SAB de CV Class B

Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte SAB de CV Class B

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Oct 27Next Earn

Q4 FY2025 · Earnings Call TranscriptFebruary 24, 2026

Operator

Greetings, welcome to OMA's Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode.

A question-and-answer session will follow the formal presentation. If anyone should require operator assistance during the conference, please press *0 on your telephone keypad.

Please note this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the conference over to Emmanuel Camacho, Investor Relations Officer.

Thank you, you may begin.

Luis Emmanuel Camacho Thierry

Thank you, Cherise. Hello, everyone.

Thank you for standing by and welcome to OMA's Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call. We are delighted to have you join us today as we discuss our company's performance and financial results for the past quarter.

Joining us today are CEO Ricardo Dueñas and CFO Ruffo Pérez Pliego. Please be reminded that certain statements made during the course of our discussion today may constitute forward-looking statements, which are based on current management expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including factors that may be beyond our control.

Now I'll turn the call over to Ricardo Dueñas for his opening remarks.

Ricardo Dueñas

Thank you, Emmanuel. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today.

This morning I will briefly discuss the approval of our Master Development Program. Then Ruffo and I will review our annual and quarterly operational performance and financial results, and finally we will be happy to answer your questions.

During December, we received approval from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency for Master Development Program covering the 2026-2030 period. The approved investment commitment amounts to approximately 16 billion pesos, expressed in December 2024 pesos.

This new 5-year program is focused on capacity expansion and quality enhancements at our largest airports in terms of passenger contribution, while further strengthening the efficiency of our network. Investments are allocated across terminal expansions, airside infrastructure, equipment upgrades, pavement rehabilitation, modernization works, environmental initiatives, as well as safety and certification programs.

Capacity and quality improvements, infrastructure optimization, airport equipment, and sustainability-related capex represent the main drivers of the program. In this context, our MDP prioritizes projects that enhance passenger experience, improve operational efficiency, and incorporate technology solutions that support long-term service quality and cost optimization.

Sustainability and decarbonization are embedded in our investment strategy, with initiatives aimed at improving energy efficiency and supporting our long-term emission reduction targets. Importantly, the total investment commitment of 2026-2030 is comparable, in real terms, to the investment considered in the 2021-2025 cycle.

However, traffic levels today are materially higher than 5 years ago. This implies an improvement in capital efficiency per passenger and reflects the scalability of our existing infrastructure.

In other words, this MDP reflects disciplined capital allocation, greater efficiency in the deployment of capex, and a focus on maximizing the use of current assets. The approval also provides long-term regulatory visibility and reinforces the structural growth outlook of our airports.

Moving now to our full year 2025 results. This was a year marked by the continued recovery in operational capacity and a strong performance in our main airport of Monterrey.

While the Pratt & Whitney engine inspection program continued to affect certain fleets during the year, capacity constraints eased compared to 2024. This allowed Mexican airlines to progressively restore frequencies and reintroduce routes that had been limited or suspended due to aircraft availability.

As a result, seat capacity across our airports increased close to 11% during 2025, reflecting improved aircraft deployment and network adjustments. During 2025, we opened 35 new routes, of which 24 were domestic and 11 were international, further strengthening connectivity across our airports.

Supported by higher seat availability and route expansion, total passenger traffic reached 28.8 million passengers in 2025, representing an 8.5% increase as compared to 2024, with domestic passenger traffic growing by 8.0% and international passenger traffic by 12.0%. The expansion reflects a continued diversification of Monterrey's international footprint.

In addition to consolidating its position as a key gateway to the United States, Monterrey has progressively expanded its long-haul connectivity in recent years, including overseas service to Europe and Asia. The consolidation of long-haul routes such as Monterrey-Madrid, Monterrey-Tokyo, and Monterrey-Seoul reinforces our long-term vision of positioning Monterrey not only as a regional hub within Mexico, but as an increasingly relevant international connecting point linking northern Mexico with major global destinations.

In 2026, we will continue strengthening overseas connectivity with additional operations to Madrid and the launch of Monterrey-Paris route in April 2026, further expanding our presence across diversified international markets. Beyond traffic growth, 2025 was also a year of solid execution across our commercial and diversification businesses.

On the commercial front, we recorded growth across key revenue line items, driven primarily by the opening of new outlets and continued commercial mix optimization. Restaurant revenues grew by 22%, VIP lounges revenues increased by 30%, and parking revenues increased by 13% as compared to 2024.

From our diversification lines of business, our industrial park was one of the strongest contributions to growth, with 44% increase in revenues versus 2024, supported by higher leased square meters. OMA Carga revenues recorded strong results as well, with a 9% increase in revenues, mainly as a result of higher volumes and improved operational efficiencies.

Regarding our financial performance, aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues each grew approximately 12% year-over-year. As a result, our adjusted EBITDA for the year was 10.2 billion pesos, and we recorded an adjusted EBITDA margin of 74.5%.

I will now move on to our fourth quarter 2025 performance. In the quarter, OMA's passenger traffic totaled 7.5 million, a 6% increase year-over-year.

Seat capacity increased by 8% during the quarter. On the domestic front, passenger traffic grew by 6%, driven primarily by the Monterrey airport, which saw increase on routes to the metropolitan areas of Mexico City, mainly to Toluca and Mexico City airports, Bajío, Puerto Vallarta, Mérida, and Guadalajara.

These routes collectively added for over 300,000 passengers during the quarter, representing 79% of the total domestic passenger growth. International passenger traffic increased by 4%, mainly driven by Monterrey, with higher traffic on the routes to Bogotá, Toronto, and Panama, and San Luis Potosí on the routes to Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, and San Antonio.

Together, these routes added more than 67,000 passengers during the quarter. In terms of growth by airline, Volaris, which accounted for 24% of our total passenger traffic in the quarter, recorded 17% increase in passenger traffic compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, while Viva, which accounted for 51% of our total passenger traffic, recorded a 5% traffic increase during the quarter.

Turning to our financial performance, aeronautical revenues increased 6%. Commercial revenues grew by 8% compared to the fourth quarter of '24, and commercial revenue per passenger stood at 62 pesos.

Commercial revenue growth was mainly driven by parking, restaurants, VIP lounges, and retail, mainly as a result of higher penetration and the increase in passenger traffic. Occupancy rate for commercial space stood at 93% at the end of the quarter.

On the diversification front, revenues increased 5%, with OMA Carga contributing most of the growth, mainly because of higher revenues from our bonded warehouses in Chihuahua, given our successful strategy to further develop this warehouse in previous quarters. OMA's fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA increased by 6% to 2.6 billion pesos with a margin of 73.6%.

On the capital expenditures front, total investments in the quarter, including MDP investments, major maintenance, and strategic investments, were 755 million pesos. I would now like to turn the call over to Ruffo Pérez Pliego, who will discuss our financial highlights for the quarter.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Thank you, Ricardo, and good morning, everyone. I will briefly review our financial results for the quarter and then we will open the call for your questions.

Aeronautical revenues increased 5.6% relative to 4Q24, mainly due to the increase in passenger traffic. It is worth noting that the peso appreciation against the dollar resulted in a 1.3% decline in international passenger charges, despite a 4.2% increase in international passengers.

Non-aero revenues increased 7.5%. Commercial revenues increased 8.4%.

The line items with the highest growth were parking, restaurants, VIP lounges, and retail. Parking grew by 18.4%, mainly as a result of higher passenger traffic, as well as higher penetration across our airports and increased tariffs.

Restaurants and retail increased 11.3% and 7.0%, respectively, both driven by higher passenger traffic, as well as previously opened or replaced outlets. VIP lounges grew by 17%, mainly due to a higher capture rate, primarily in Monterrey airport, as well as the increase in passenger traffic, partially offset by a stronger peso against the US dollar.

Diversification activities increased 4.8%. OMA Carga contributed most to the growth in the quarter, increasing by 14.2%, resulting from a higher level of operation and tons handled during the quarter.

Total aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues rose 6.1% to 3.5 billion pesos in the quarter. Construction revenues amounted to 613 million pesos during the fourth quarter.

The cost of airport services and G&A expense increased 11.6% versus 4Q24, primarily due to the following line items: contracted services expenses rose 14.7%, mainly due to higher cost of security and cleaning services, following contract renewals in prior quarters, reflecting inflationary pressures and tight labor market conditions. Minor maintenance increased 24.1%, primarily due to the timing effect of works performed.

However, maintenance for the full year increased by 4.0%. Basic services increased by 11 million pesos, mainly due to higher utility costs, particularly electricity.

This includes a one-time 6 million peso impact related to the temporary use of an alternative power supply line at the Monterrey airport, which carries a higher tariff than our power purchase agreement. This temporary situation was caused by construction works related to the subway line near the airport, and since the end of December, electricity supply has reverted to our regular PPA contract.

Other costs and expenses increased by 9.9%, due primarily to higher IT-related requirements and transportation services. Concession tax increased 8.0% to 286 million pesos, in line with revenue growth.

Major maintenance provision was 216 million pesos, compared to 39 million pesos in 4Q24. It is important to highlight that this is a non-cash item.

During the quarter, we reassessed our major maintenance requirements to reflect the expenditures included in the recently approved 2026-2030 Master Development Program. This reassessment resulted in an increase in the provision liability.

Approximately 17% of the total investments under the 2026-2030 MDP corresponds to major maintenance projects. For 2026, we expect the full-year major maintenance provision cost to be approximately 400 million pesos.

OMA's fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA grew 5.9% to 2.6 billion pesos and the adjusted EBITDA margin reached 73.6%. Our financing expense decreased 12.7% to 280 million pesos, mainly driven by lower interest expense associated to the major maintenance provision, as well as higher interest income resulting from a higher average cash position.

Consolidated net income was 1.2 billion pesos in the quarter, an increase of 3.6% versus 4Q24. Turning to our cash position.

Cash generated from operating activities in the fourth quarter amounted to 1.9 billion pesos. Investing and financing activities used 663 million and 2.5 billion pesos, respectively.

As a result, our cash position at the end of the quarter was 3.1 billion pesos. At the end of December, total debt amounted to 13.6 billion pesos and leverage, measured as net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio, stood at 1.0 times.

This concludes our prepared remarks. Cherise, please open the call to questions.

Operator

Thank you. If you would like to ask a question, please press *1 on your telephone keypad.

A confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question queue. You may press *2 if you would like to remove your question from the queue.

For participants using speaker equipment, it may be necessary to pick up your handset before pressing the star keys. Our first question is from Juan Ponce with Bradesco.

Please proceed.

Juan Ponce

Hi. Thank you very much for taking my question for the call.

On the 216 million major maintenance provision recognized this quarter, does this reflect higher maintenance intensity or just timing shifts? Any additional color on the change would be helpful.

Thanks.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Sure. Hi, Juan.

It does reflect the next 5-year, well, the 2026-2030 expected expenditures as well as timing changes versus what we had assumed in the past.

Juan Ponce

Okay. Just to clarify, the expectation is that the full year number is going to be around 400 million pesos, correct?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

That is correct,

Juan Ponce

non-cash.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

The P&L impact is a non-cash, yes.

Juan Ponce

Yes. Okay.

Thank you very much.

Operator

Our next question is from Jens Spiess with Morgan Stanley. Please proceed.

Jay Olson

Oh, yes. I have a question regarding the passenger fees and how do you expect to increase throughout the year and in order to reach close to 100% of your maximum tariff.

What's your expectation there? Thank you.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Yes, thank you, Jens. The announced increase is a 6.9% increase starting April 10th, and we anticipate it will take a couple of years, 2 to 3 years, to reach the 100% maximum tariff.

Jay Olson

Okay. By the end of this year, what percentage do you expect to have completed of the maximum tariff of this year?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Something around the 93%.

Jay Olson

93%. Perfect.

If I may, just a second question. Any update on the timing of the investments in Monterrey?

Pretty much appreciate it. Thank you.

Ricardo Dueñas

Yes. Our main works are, as are focused on Monterrey and Culiacán.

Monterrey, we are anticipating to finish is what we've been mentioning, which is by the mid next year, we should be opening the new commercial area of Monterrey. For Culiacán, we're expecting to open the new commercial area by the end of this year.

Jay Olson

Excellent. Okay.

Thank you so much.

Ricardo Dueñas

Thank you, Jens.

Operator

Our next question is from Vanessa Quiroga with Eternal Capital Group. Please proceed.

Vanessa Quiroga

Hi, thanks for taking my question. I would like to ask if you can provide the following details: how much of the Master Development Plan investments for the next 5 years is major maintenance, and whether the accounting rule is to provision 100% of that major maintenance during the 5-year period?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Sure. The total investments related to major maintenance in the approved MDP represents approximately 17% of the total MDP for the next 5 years.

The accounting rule is to provision the present value of the such expenditure from today until the day the project is expected to start its execution.

Vanessa Quiroga

Okay. That's excellent.

Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is from Abraham Fuentes with Santander. Please proceed.

Abraham Fuentes

Hi, hello. I would like to get a little bit more color about the excess of concession tax on aeronautical revenues that we had during this quarter.

Is this something that could be recurrent going forward or not?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

The excess, pursuant to 2023 tariff-based regulation, that excess was incorporated as additional reference value that was used in the recent negotiation that occurred in December. That excess is already being recovered through maximum tariff starting January 1st of this year.

Abraham Fuentes

Perfect. Thanks.

Operator

Our next question is from Gabriel Gimelfarb with Scotiabank. Please proceed.

Gabriel Gimelfarb

Hi, good morning. Thanks for the call.

If I may, I have two questions. First, the MDP capex on Monterrey: how much do you expect such commercial revenues to ramp in percentage terms in terms of EBITDA, how much EBITDA do you expect they might ramp up for OMA?

The second is what's your view or your color on the Viva-Volaris consolidation in terms of routes and seat allocation? Thank you.

Ricardo Dueñas

In terms of the second part of your question, we're still assessing the potential impacts or it's still an analysis the impact. In terms of the first part, Ruffo?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Yes. We do expect a bump after the commercial areas of the expanded Terminal A are opened starting the second half of next year, and it's a full-year effect being reflected in full in 2028.

We do expect about a 10% to 15% increase in spending per pax in Monterrey in real terms on an annualized basis once these stores and new outlets are opened.

Gabriel Gimelfarb

Thank you. If I may, I have an additional questions.

How's your view towards the asset acquisitions, like perhaps involving Vinci on the MDP or the future acquisitions making, I don't know, OMA as a consolidation vehicle?

Ricardo Dueñas

In terms of new acquisitions, we're always looking for opportunities to expand locally or internationally. At the moment, there's no specific transaction that we're looking at.

If there were in the future, that was something that would be discussed internally between Vinci and ourselves.

Gabriel Gimelfarb

Thank you.

Ricardo Dueñas

One thing we are looking, it's at expanding our hotels presence. We're evaluating a new hotel in Monterrey and another one in Ciudad Juárez, and we're also looking to expand our industrial park in Monterrey.

Gabriel Gimelfarb

Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is from Alberto Valerio with UBS. Please proceed.

Alberto Valerio

Hi, gentlemen. Thank you for taking my questions.

I have two here. If you could provide a little bit more details on the lining of revenues and as well on costs.

Revenues, do you guys have an impact from FX on the international traffic? On costs, if you could provide a little bit more details on maintenance, you mentioned that it'd be a big portion of your next MDP.

How can we forecast this for the future and if you could provide any more details than what was the expensed in it? Thank you very much.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Yes, the first part of your question was related to the FX impact, correct? Perfect.

Yes, that's it. Okay.

We basically on the revenue line item have four items that are very closely related to FX, which are international passenger charges, VIP lounge, duty-free, and industrial park. We estimate that the impact of the peso appreciation in the fourth quarter of '25 as compared to the fourth quarter of '24, which was about an 8% appreciation, was between 50 to 60 million pesos.

That was our estimate of the effect of such appreciation. Regarding the second part of your question, we do expect at least for 2026 that the full-year provisioning would be around 400 million and we're still assessing what the impact would be for the following years.

It would depend on both construction costs as well as the long-term interest rates used to discount that provision.

Alberto Valerio

Thank you. If I may, just one more about the violence that we have seen.

I know that the region, Jalisco, is a little bit different from OMA airports region, but do you have any sort of impact on your airports or cancellation routes and so forth?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

All our 13 airports are operating normally. We did see on Sunday during the event a few cancellations to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta airport.

There was some yesterday, but today is operating normally, and it's not a traffic that we believe will have an impact in our numbers.

Alberto Valerio

Very helpful. Thank you very much.

Operator

Our next question is from Alan Mortenkotter with GBM. Please proceed.

Alan Macias

Hi, guys. Thank you for taking my question.

Just a quick one. We've seen in some newspapers some of your peers are considering some alternative financing methods, such as maybe a FIBRA E.

I was just wondering if you guys are considering an alternative to funding your capex similar to those or any special vehicles that you may be looking at?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Right now we're not necessarily considering other type of structures different to what we have used in the past few years. We do have some refinancings of debts that is due this year, and we would expect to tap the Cebures market as we have done so in the past 4 or 5 years.

Alan Macias

Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is from Julia Orsi with J.P. Morgan.

Please proceed.

Jullia Orsi

Yes. Hi, everyone.

Good morning. Thanks for taking the time.

Can you comment a bit on your traffic expectations for this year? On previous call, you were mentioning a low to mid-single-digit growth rate for 2026.

Is this still the case? Thank you.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

For the year, we're anticipating somewhere in the low to mid-single-digit growth in traffic.

Jullia Orsi

Got it. Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is a follow-up from Vanessa Quiroga with Eternal Capital Group. Please proceed.

Vanessa Quiroga

Yes, thank you. My question is regarding the increase in the tariffs.

The 7% in real terms that you mentioned, what is the base for that? Is the base the average in peso terms achieved in 2025 or do you assume any FX?

What is the base that you're using?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Sure. The MDP-approved maximum tariff was a 6.9% real increase in all of the airports, and that reflects the 2025 maximum tariff.

Vanessa Quiroga

Okay.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

That's the

Vanessa Quiroga

increase that you...

Rufino Pérez Pliego

It's the 2026 maximum tariff as compared to the 2025 maximum tariff. That increase in real terms, that's excluding inflation, is 6.9%.

Vanessa Quiroga

The part that maybe I need clarification, in 2026 you are going to have that increase or that's target in 3 years?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Yes. The increase that we're going to pass through this year is 6.9% starting in 10th of April.

That includes inflation as well. It's a nominal 6.1% increase.

Vanessa Quiroga

Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is from Enrique Cantú with GBM. Please proceed.

Enrique Cantú

Hi, thank you for taking my question. As you implement tariff increases under the new MDP, how are you assessing demand elasticity, particularly in routes like Monterrey and tourist destinations?

Could you share your outlook for further route additions and whether you see scope for continued expansion based on your ongoing discussions with carriers?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Sorry, could you repeat the question, Enrique? Sorry, the line...

Enrique Cantú

Yes, of course. It's about demand elasticity.

How are you assessing this demand elasticity, particularly in routes like Monterrey and tourist destinations as you implement your tariff increases under the new MDP?

Rufino Pérez Pliego

Yeah. Yes.

In terms of elasticity, we believe that the pass-through that we're implementing this year it's not going to have a major impact in terms of traffic elasticity. Regarding new route openings, so far, 20 routes have been confirmed.

17 of them are domestic and 3 are international. They start the vast majority of them in June of this year from airports such as Monterrey, San Luis Potosí, primarily.

Enrique Cantú

Perfect, very clear. Thank you.

Operator

Our next question is from Andrew Radden with TRG. Please proceed.

Andrew Radden

Hi, guys. Thanks for taking my question.

I was curious about commercial revenues per passenger and revenue from diversification for 2026. What kind of growth should we be expecting, any particular lines?

Do you see any heading for this year? Thank you.

Rufino Pérez Pliego

In terms of commercial revenue per pax, they ended 2025 around 62 pesos per pax. We expect similar amounts for the next few quarters in 2026.

Regarding diversification revenues, we don't look at them on a per-pax basis, but rather as a whole. We have, as two mature hotels, the NH in Mexico and the Hilton Garden in our Monterrey airport.

We should expect inflationary increases in results of those two units. The driver of this year of diversification would be our OMA Carga unit, which should have a double-digit growth.

Andrew Radden

Great, thank you.

Operator

As a reminder, it is *1 on your telephone keypad if you would like to ask a question. We will pause for a brief moment to see if there is any final questions.

Ricardo Dueñas

We would like to thank...

Operator

Thank you.

Ricardo Dueñas

We would like to thank everyone for participating in today's call. We appreciate your insightful questions, engagement, and continued support.

Ruffo, Emmanuel, and I remain available to answer your questions. Thank you once again, and have a great day.

Operator

Thank you. This does conclude today's conference.

You may disconnect at this time, and thank you for your participation.