Cemex negotiates sale of assets in southeastern France to Vicat

Cemex is negotiating exclusively with the French group Vicat over the possible sale of three subsidiaries operating in southeastern France. The assets comprise 48 ready-mix concrete plants and nine aggregate quarries, according to information communicated by Vicat and reported by financial media.

The entities included in the proposal are Cemex Granulats Rhône Méditerranée, Cemex Béton Rhône Alpes, and Cemex Béton Sud Est. The transaction would cover facilities in the Rhône Valley corridor and the French Riviera, although the price and other financial terms were not disclosed.

The sale remains subject to conditions

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding, which sets the framework for continuing negotiations but does not mean the transaction has been completed. Before any potential closing, workers’ representatives must be consulted and the relevant competition authorities must grant their approvals. Vicat expects the process could be completed this year, but the timeline depends on those steps and on the parties reaching a definitive agreement.

For Vicat, the potential acquisition would expand its presence in southeastern France and complement its current operations. Its chairman and chief executive officer, Guy Sidos, said the assets’ location could strengthen proximity to customers and facilitate the rollout of low-carbon solutions. The company also said it expects to achieve industrial, commercial, and logistical synergies; these are benefits anticipated by the buyer, not guaranteed outcomes of a transaction that is still pending.

Stock market reaction and context for Cemex

El Cronista reported that Cemex shares fell more than 2% on the Mexican Stock Exchange on the Monday following the announcement: they lost as much as 2.12%, reaching 17.07 pesos per share, and later moderated their decline to 17.41 pesos per share. That movement describes trading during the session; on its own, it does not show that the announcement was the sole cause of the change.

The negotiations are part of Cemex’s portfolio adjustments, as the company has also announced divestments in other markets. However, the French sale should be understood for now as a proposal: no information has been provided on how much these assets contribute to Cemex’s revenue or results, or what financial impact a potential transaction might have. The company reported uneven performance in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa during the first half of 2026: domestic gray cement volume fell 4% and aggregate volume fell 6% compared with the same period of the previous year, while concrete remained virtually stable. These figures relate to the EMEA region and do not specifically quantify the activity of the French subsidiaries.

For companies and suppliers across the construction supply chain, the next milestones will be the progress of discussions, the labor consultation, and regulatory approvals. Until those stages are completed and a definitive agreement is reached, both the transfer of the assets and its potential operational and financial effects remain subject to change.