ASUR Q4 2025 Earnings Call - US acquisition adds dollar commercial scale as traffic moderation and one-offs pressure profits
Summary
ASUR closed 2025 with a strategic pivot, buying URW Airports (renamed ASUR US) to gain dollar-denominated commercial exposure while pursuing a larger Motiva deal to add scale across Latin America. The URW acquisition, closed December 11 at an enterprise value of $295 million, immediately contributed roughly $133 million of revenue and $86 million of EBITDA for the 20-day consolidation period, and management plans fuller disclosure starting in Q1 2026.
That strategic progress arrives with friction. Q4 passenger growth was tepid, revenues were flat quarter-on-quarter, and operating costs jumped 25% year-on-year driven by professional fees, wage pressures and a Colombia concession amortization change. Q4 adjusted EBITDA fell about 5% to MXN 4.9 billion and majority net income dropped 22%, while full-year net income fell 20% largely due to FX swings. Balance sheet metrics stay conservative, with MXN 11 billion in cash, MXN 16 billion net debt and net leverage of 0.8x LTM EBITDA, and management expects to fund the Motiva purchase with debt if it closes in H1 2026.
Key Takeaways
- ASUR completed acquisition of URW Airports (renamed ASUR US) on December 11, 2025 for an enterprise value of $295 million, entering the U.S. non-regulated commercial airport segment.
- ASUR US contributed approximately $133 million of revenue and $86 million of EBITDA from Dec 11 to Dec 31, 2025; these results were consolidated into ASUR’s Mexican operations for Q4.
- Management will provide more detailed ASUR US disclosure starting with the Q1 2026 earnings report to show revenue profile, margins and growth prospects as a fully consolidated business.
- ASUR signed a purchase agreement to acquire Motiva’s stake in 20 airports (Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Curaçao) for BRL 5 billion (about $936 million), which would add roughly 45 million passengers annually and raise total network traffic to over 116 million, subject to closing and regulatory approvals expected in H1 2026.
- Motiva acquisition is expected to be funded with debt; management says regulatory and aeronautical approvals are progressing but can be slow.
- Q4 2025 passenger traffic was 17.9 million, up about 1% year-on-year; full-year traffic was nearly 72 million passengers.
- Regional traffic: Mexico essentially flat (Cancun down 2%, eight other Mexico airports mid-single-digit growth), Puerto Rico down 3% (domestic softness), Colombia strongest with Q4 up nearly 6% to 4.7 million passengers.
- Passenger origin trends: U.S. volumes down 0.6%, South America down 10.9%, Canada up 12.9%, Europe up 1.1%. Management expects Mexico to gradually stabilize as aircraft availability improves.
- Total revenue in Q4 was flat at MXN 7.3 billion; full-year revenue rose nearly 19% to MXN 37 billion, reflecting consolidation and FX impacts.
- Q4 consolidated EBITDA declined nearly 5% to MXN 4.9 billion; adjusted EBITDA margin fell 330 basis points to 66.4% year-on-year.
- Majority net income for Q4 decreased 22% to MXN 2.7 billion; full-year net income declined 20% to MXN 10.9 billion, largely driven by a non-cash FX loss of MXN 1.9 billion in 2025 versus a MXN 2 billion gain in 2024.
- Operating expenses rose 25% year-on-year in Q4: Mexico expenses up 10% driven by professional fees (ASUR US and Motiva work), higher minimum wages and service costs; Puerto Rico up 6% due to security and inflation; Colombia costs doubled due to a concession amortization methodology change.
- The Colombia concession amortization change, implemented in Q3 2025 and aligned with updated revenue generation, increased amortization expense; management says this is structural and will continue, and excluding that adjustment costs rose only about 1%.
- Commercial initiatives: 41 new retail/service units opened in 2025 (31 in Colombia, 8 in Puerto Rico, 6 in Mexico), driving low-single-digit commercial revenue growth. Commercial revenue per passenger rose 1% to MXN 132; Colombia led with a 12% gain.
- Capital allocation and balance sheet: Q4 CapEx MXN 3.9 billion, full-year CapEx MXN 7.8 billion (MXN 3.5 billion in Mexico Q4 under Master Development Plan). Cash MXN 11 billion, net debt MXN 16 billion, net leverage 0.8x LTM EBITDA, and MXN 24 billion returned to shareholders in dividends during 2025.
- Operational catalysts to watch: reopening of Cancun Terminal 1 expected in Q3 2026, which management anticipates will rebalance flows and boost commercial spending; ASUR US terminal openings (notably at JFK) expected to drive a step-up in 2026 performance.
Full Transcript
Operator: As a reminder, today’s call is being recorded. Now, I’d like to turn this call over to Mr. Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer. Please go ahead, sir.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: Thank you, Dave, and good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today to discuss ASUR’s results for the 4th quarter and full year 2025. Before I begin discussing our results, let me remind you that certain statements made during the call today may constitute forward-looking statements, which are based on current management expectations and beliefs, and are subject to several risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including factors that may be beyond our company’s control. Additional details of our quarterly and full year 2025 results can be found in our press release, which was issued yesterday after market close, and is available on our website in the Investor Relations sector. Following my presentation, I will be available for Q&A.
As usual, all comparisons discussed on this call will be year-on-year, and all figures are expressed in Mexican pesos unless specified otherwise. Before getting into the discussion of traffic and financial results, let me start today’s call with a recap of the key business developments during the fourth quarter and over the course of the year. The fourth quarter marked an important inflection point for ASUR. While traffic trends in certain markets moderated, we remain focused on strengthening our long-term traffic platform through diversification, disciplined capital allocation, and continued operational excellence. Strategically, we completed our expansion into the U.S. airport commercial market and advanced transformational Latin American growth opportunity. As previously discussed, on December eleventh, we completed the acquisition of URW Airports, renamed as ASUR US, at an enterprise value of $295 million.
This transaction established ASUR’s direct participation in the U.S. non-regulated commercial airport segment. With operations in major U.S. hubs, including Los Angeles International Airport, Chicago O’Hare, and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. From December 11th through December 31st, ASUR US contributed approximately to $133 million in revenues and $86 million in EBITDA. We are excited about what this acquisition brings to ASUR’s portfolio. First, it adds exposure to high-traffic, dollar-denominated commercial revenues. Second, it diversifies our revenue mix beyond regulated income. Third, creates an scalable platform for future growth in the United States. Revenue and EBITDA for the ASUR US were included within the results of our Mexican operations this quarter.
Starting our first quarter 2026 earnings report, we plan to provide more detailed disclosure regarding on the business, so that the investment community can better assess revenue profile, margin structure, and growth prospectus as fully consolidated operation. In parallel, as disclosed in November, we signed a purchase agreement to acquire Motiva’s stake in its airport portfolio, which holds interest in 20 airports across Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Curaçao. For a purchase price of BRL 5 billion, which at the moment represented approximately $936 million. Upon closing, this transaction would add approximately 45 million passengers annually to our network, bringing total annual passenger traffic over 116 million. It also provide entrance to Brazil, the largest aviation market in Latin America, while further strengthening our presence in Central and South America.
This acquisition enhance our geographic diversification, increases the scale, and creates long-term operational opportunities, giving ASUR’s track record as an efficient airport operator, and more important, the opportunity to use the balance sheet. The Motiva transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, with closing expected in the first half of 2026. We intend to fund the acquisition with debt. Together, these initiatives reflect a deliberate expansion and strengthen our position in the US commercial segment, while deepening our footprint across high-growth markets in the Americas. Importantly, we continue to adhere to our long-standing strategy of pursuing disciplined, accretive acquisitions that enhance long-term shareholders’ value while preserving balance sheet strength. Lastly, reflecting the strength of ASUR’s cash generation model, we return value to shareholders in form of dividends. During 2025, dividend payment totaled MXN 24 billion.
At the same time, we supported our selective expansion strategy and preserved our financial flexibility. Let me now review ASUR’s operational performance for the quarter and full year. During the fourth quarter, we handled 17.9 million passengers, up nearly 1% year-on-year, with nearly 72 passengers traveling through our airports during the year. Looking at the quarter performance by region, Mexico was essentially flat, with domestic traffic slightly below prior year levels, while international traffic showed modest improvement. We believe this reflects the early stages of normalization following aircraft availability constraints and softer regional demand in earlier year. In addition, traffic in Cancun declined 2% during the quarter, while our eight other Mexican airports grew middle single digit. In Puerto Rico, traffic declined 3%, primarily driven by domestic market demand softness, while international traffic remained positive.
Colombia, once again, delivered the strongest performance with our portfolio, with full quarter traffic increased nearly 6% to 4.7 million passengers, reflecting high single-digit growth in international traffic and mid-single digit in domestic traffic, supported by improving connectivity and resilient demand. Overall, we are seeing gradual stabilization in Mexico and sustained structural growth in Colombia. Passenger volumes from the United States, our larger international source market, decreased just 0.6%, while South America contracted 10.9%. On the positive note, Canada and Europe increased by 12.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Looking ahead, we expect a more balanced operation environment across our portfolio. In Mexico, we expect traffic to gradually stabilize over the year as aircraft availability improves. In Cancun, we continue to monitor the dynamic with Tulum Airport.
As comparables easy airline networks adjust, we believe traffic trends should progressively improve during the year. In Puerto Rico and Colombia, we continue to expect sustained positive momentum, supported by healthy international demand and improved co-connectivity. Turning now to financial performance. As a reminder, all figures exclude construction revenue and costs. Comparisons are all year-on-year, otherwise noted. Total revenue were flat year-on-year at MXN 7.3 billion, reflecting the softer traffic environment in Mexico and the FX impact from the appreciation of Mexican peso on the commercial activity. Aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues were essentially unchanged during the quarter. By region, Mexico revenues were flat due to softer traffic trends and the FX impact from the appreciation of the Mexican peso against the US dollar on commercial revenues.
Puerto Rico’s revenues declined nearly 6%, affected by the FX impact, while Colombia revenues increased nearly 5%, broadly in line with traffic growth and improvement commercial performance. As part of our strategy to increase and enhance commercial offering, we opened 41 additional retail and service units across the network over the past year. This include 31 in Colombia, 8 in Puerto Rico, and 6 in Mexico. These additions contributed to a low single-digit increase in commercial revenues, with solid momentum in Colombia, partially offset by softer results in Puerto Rico and Mexico. Commercial revenue per passenger increased 1% year-on-year to nearly MXN 132. By geography, Colombia posted the strongest performance with a 12% gain, followed by Puerto Rico, which rose nearly 4%, while Mexico remained broadly stable at MXN 159 per passenger.
Turning to operating costs, total expenses increased 25% year-on-year. In Mexico, expenses rose 10%, primarily driven by professional fees associated with the ASUR US and the Motiva Airport project, along with the high minimum wages and increased service-related costs. Puerto Rico recorded a 6% increase, mainly due to security expenses and inflationary pressures. In Colombia, expenses doubled, largely due to a change in the concession amortization methodology implemented in the previous quarter. As a reminder, we expected regulated revenues to phase out by 2027, with the concession running through 2032. Starting in the third quarter of 2025, we aligned amortization with the updated revenue generation. This is a structural adjustment and will continue going forward. Excluding this account adjustment, costs will have increased just by 1%.
Turning to profitability, consolidated EBITDA decreased nearly 5% to MXN 4.9 billion during the quarter, with adjusted EBITDA margin declining 330 basis points to 66.4% year-on-year, reflecting the dynamics I just explained. Colombia delivered EBITDA growth of 2%, while EBITDA declined by 3% in Mexico and 19% in Puerto Rico, mainly reflecting lower traffic and higher operating costs. Majority Net Income for the fourth quarter decreased 22% to MXN 2.7 billion, primarily driven by two factors: a non-cash foreign exchange loss of MXN 155 million in connection with the precision of the Mexican peso against the US dollar, while in the fourth quarter 2024, we recorded a MXN 773 million gain.
Second, the MXN 407 million adjustment in amortization methodology in Colombia, introduced in the 3rd quarter of 2025 that I just mentioned. For the full year, total revenues increased nearly 19% to MXN 37 billion. EBITDA rose 2% to MXN 20.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA margin of 67.8% in 2025, compared with the 69.7% in 2024. In turn, net income declined 20% year-on-year to MXN 10.9 billion, mainly reflecting a non-cash foreign exchange loss of MXN 1.9 billion this year versus a MXN 2 billion gain in 2024. Moving on to the balance sheet. We closed the year with cash and cash equivalents with MXN 11 billion and net debt of MXN 16 billion, equivalent to 0.8x last twelve months EBITDA.
This reflects two loans obtained during the second half of 2025, which were secured to pay CapEx projects and fund our strategic U.S. initiative. Even after incorporating these financings, leverage remains at a conservative levels and well below global airport peers, resembling ample flexibility to fund regulatory CapEx commitments and future growth. Capital expenditures during the fourth quarter were MXN 3.9 billion, invested across our airport network, of which MXN 3.5 billion were invested in Mexico under our Master Development Plan, and the remainder in Colombia and Puerto Rico. For the full year, we invested MXN 7.8 billion pesos in CapEx, with a similar geographic breakdown. Investments under our Master Development programs across our Mexican airports, ensuring the capacity, service quality, and regulatory compliance continue to advance.
In Puerto Rico and Colombia, we remain focused on operational improvements and commercial optimization initiatives aimed to increase non-aeronautical revenue generation. In Mexico, we expect to reopen Terminal 1 in Cancun in the third quarter of this year, which is anticipated to provide a commercial tailwind. New facility will help rebalance passenger flows across terminals and improve the passenger experience, which over time should support higher commercial spending. Wrapping up, ASUR enters 2026 with a strengthened platform, greater diversification, disciplined capital allocation, robust balance sheet, and proven operational model. While near-term traffic trends in some markets have moderated, the structural demand-driven drivers for air travel in our region remains intact, and we are confident in our ability to generate long-term value for our shareholders. With that, now we are ready to take your questions. Dave, please open the floor for questions.
Operator: Thank you. We will now begin the question and answer session. To ask a question, dial in by phone and press star, then 1 on your telephone keypad. Make sure your mute function is turned off, and if you are using a speakerphone, please pick up your handset before pressing the keys. To withdraw your question, please press star, then 2. Also, please limit yourself to 1 question and 1 follow-up. Join the queue again if you have additional questions. The first question comes from Andressa Ferrato with UBS. Please go ahead.
Andressa Ferrato, Analyst, UBS: Hi, Adolfo. Good morning. Thank you for taking my question. I have two questions. I can make the first one and then the next one. Starting with, if you could share any additional color and projections about the recent ASUR US acquisitions, or if we can try to calculate how much it could add on revenue and EBITDA for the year based on the results showed in this quarter? Also, if you have any updates on the process of the Motiva Airports acquisition?
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: Hi, good morning. Well, in the case of the U.S., two comments. First of all, you have the numbers for the first 20 days, which are, I will say, not something that we can consider as a normalized for the full year in 2026. Due to the fact that, during the third quarter this year, we’re expecting the opening of the new Terminal 1 in New York, in the, at the JFK Airport, which is an important element of the equation of this transaction. More or less the same for the first three quarters, and then the jump because of the new Terminal 1. In the case of the process for Motiva, everything is, it’s going well. Of course, it’s gonna take time.
There are some processes that are slow in the case of aeronautical approvals, but we expect to conclude this during the end maybe the beginning of the quarter this year.
Andressa Ferrato, Analyst, UBS: Very clear. Thank you. My other question would be regarding the tax rate. We noticed that a lower tax rate this quarter. I would like to understand if this is something that we can expect for upcoming quarters of, or was more of a one-off effect. Thank you.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: No, that is related to the results of the year.
Andressa Ferrato, Analyst, UBS: Thank you.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: You’re welcome.
Operator: Again, if you have a question, please press star and then 1. Our next question comes from Anton Morton Cotter with the GBM. Please go ahead.
Anton Morton Cotter, Analyst, GBM: I mean, we saw really good performance on the commercial side on Puerto Rico and Colombia operations, using local currencies, current currencies. I’m just wondering, what kind of initiatives were you pushing in those markets? And should we expect to see that non-aeronautical continue growing? Thank you.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: Thank you for your question, Anton. Yes, the appreciation of the Mexican peso was for the quarter, 13%, I think 13.4%. If you see the results in their currency, they were very good. In the case of Puerto Rico, we have worked in the second half of the year, very hard on a new strategy into the convenience stores, and there are some other adjustments to improve the operational performance of the duty-free. In the case of Colombia, I would say, apart from what I mentioned in terms of the new units we have established there, nothing else.
Anton Morton Cotter, Analyst, GBM: Okay. Thank you.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: You’re welcome.
Operator: Again, if you have a question, please press Star and then one. This concludes our question and answer portion of today’s call. I would like to turn back over to Mr. Castro for closing remarks.
Adolfo Castro, Chief Executive Officer, ASUR: Thank you, Dave. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes ASUR’s fourth quarter 2025 results conference call. We would like to thank you again for your participation. You may now disconnect.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes ASUR’s fourth quarter 2025 results conference call. We would like to thank you again for your participation. You may now disconnect.