U.S. infrastructure is in need of an update, and it’s going to fuel demand for a lot of cement.
The American Society of Civil Engineers projects that the country needs to spend more than $9 trillion to repair failing bridges, crumbling roads, and aging dams.
Investors have seen construction stocks and infrastructure stocks trade up and down in recent years following talk of action from Washington, D.C. Infrastructure has been a constant topic of debate on Capitol Hill, and while the money doesn't ever seem to flow as fast as advocates want it to, there is a steady stream of investment to the sector.
It’s hard to predict which individual projects might get funded, but we know spending on construction and infrastructure is going up. For investors, cement stocks are a good way to negate project-specific uncertainty and take advantage of the trend because it’s a raw material that will be in demand, no matter what is prioritized.
Best cement stocks in 2025
Best cement stocks in 2025
For the purposes of this list, we are differentiating between concrete -- the finished product used for home foundations, roads, and bridges -- and cement, which is the mixture of minerals combined with water and aggregates to make concrete. Think of this as a list of companies that make those raw materials, not the companies that mix them together and sell concrete.
| Company name | Company ticker | Market cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crh Plc | NYSE:CRHCF | $62 billion | Materials |
| Vulcan Materials | NYSE:VMC | $35 billion | Materials |
| James Hardie Industries Plc | NYSE:JHX | $12 billion | Materials |
| Cemex | NYSE:CX | $10 billion | Materials |
| Eagle Materials | NYSE:EXP | $7 billion | Materials |
| Loma Negra Compañía Industrial Argentina Sociedad Anónima | NYSE:LOMA | $1 billion | Materials |
1. CRH
1. CRH
Ireland’s CRH is a world leader in basic materials, supplying building products, aggregates, asphalt, and cement primarily in Europe and North America. In 2024 alone, CRH spent about $5 billion on 40 acquisitions.
CRH gives investors exposure not just to cement demand and U.S. infrastructure spending, but also to the rising demand in emerging markets such as Brazil. In the United States, CRH does business via the Ash Grove Cement brand.
2. Vulcan Materials
2. Vulcan Materials
Vulcan Materials is a U.S.-focused heavyweight that provides aggregates, asphalt, and cement to construction and industrial users located primarily in the U.S. Sun Belt. Although the company has facilities in the Bahamas and Mexico, investors buying into Vulcan today are making a bet on the U.S. market rather than on global demand.
Vulcan still sees opportunities to grow in its home market. In 2021, the company bought U.S. Concrete for $1.3 billion to expand its footprint in Texas and the northeastern U.S.
3. James Hardie Industries
3. James Hardie Industries
James Hardie is perhaps best known for its Hardie Board products, which are fiber cement building materials that are durable replacements for exterior wood and other construction materials. The Ireland-based company makes a range of finished cement products used in commercial and housing construction, including exterior siding, wallboards, floors, trim, fencing, and decking.
Hardie isn’t the same roads-and-bridges play as some of these companies, but it has expanded the addressable market for cement products and should benefit from an eco-friendly push to use new materials and make projects more durable.
4. Cemex
4. Cemex
Cemex is Latin America’s largest supplier of cement and sells a range of basic materials and aggregates throughout its native Mexico, the U.S., and around the world. Cemex is one of the best cement stocks to buy for true global exposure, with operations spanning more than 50 countries throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Cemex has also been a leader in terms of sustainability, pledging to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to reduce dust emissions by 95%. Its efforts should help it to win business from all-important government customers trying to balance the need for construction with climate priorities.
5. Eagle Materials
5. Eagle Materials
Eagle Materials sells cement as well as a wide range of other building materials, including gypsum wallboard and aggregates, and it is focused on the U.S. construction market. The company manufactures and distributes its products from more than 70 facilities located in the U.S.
Eagle doesn’t offer the same geographic or product diversification as some of the other companies on this list, but it has a significant business selling to the red-hot housing market.
6. Loma Negra
6. Loma Negra
Loma Negra is smaller than the others on this list and is focused primarily on the market in its native Argentina and in neighboring countries. The company produces cement, aggregates, lime, and ready-made concrete mixtures for construction companies and industrial users.
Loma is more of a pure-play investment in emerging markets, but demand from South America should significantly increase in the years to come as local economies continue to develop.
Related investing topics
Are cement stocks right for you?
Are cement stocks right for you?
Some investors tend to shy away from stock market sectors such as cement, fearing the commodity nature of the product makes it too cyclical. But given the need for increased infrastructure spending to replace aging roads and bridges, plus the substantial demand for new housing over the next decade, it appears we are in the early stages of a long-term supercycle for cement demand.
Even if it is cyclical, cement has so many different end users that demand is unlikely to drop off should one particular segment of users hit hard times. Cement stocks aren’t likely to ever be confused with high-growth tech stocks, but they offer greater stability and predictability that can help balance a diversified portfolio.
