Construction industry
Demand Driver
Most aggregates and cement products are sold to the construction industry; results depend on its strength and cyclicality.
Relevance 95·Dependency 90·Confidence 95
Source evidence
“We sell most of our aggregates (our primary business) and our cement products to the construction industry and, therefore, our results depend on that industry’s strength”
Construction marketplace / economic cycles
Demand Driver
Operating results are highly dependent on construction marketplace activity and public/private sector economic cycles, making results cyclical.
Relevance 95·Dependency 90·Confidence 95
Source evidence
“the Company’s operating results are highly dependent upon activity within the construction marketplace, economic cycles within the public and private business sectors, and seasonal and other weather-related conditions”
Aggregates reserves
Raw Material Dependency
Sustaining and growing the Building Materials business depends on replacing depleting aggregates reserves within economic haul radius and obtaining permits.
Relevance 90·Dependency 85·Confidence 95
Source evidence
“Our Building Materials business depends on identifying, acquiring, permitting and developing quality aggregates reserves within an economic haul radius”
Public infrastructure construction customers
Customer Exposure
37% of 2025 aggregates shipments went to highway and other public infrastructure projects; public funding is the largest end-use market and dampens private-construction cyclicality.
Relevance 90·Dependency 37·Confidence 95
Source evidence
“37% of its 2025 aggregates shipments sold to customers for use in highway and other public infrastructure projects”
Public infrastructure funding (IIJ Act)
Demand Driver
Federal infrastructure funding drives aggregates demand for roads, bridges and infrastructure projects.
Relevance 85·Dependency 75·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“provides billions of dollars in new funding for roads, bridges and other major infrastructure projects which require aggregates for construction”
Federal and state highway funding
Demand Driver
Aggregates demand, particularly infrastructure construction, historically negatively affected by budget challenges and highway funding uncertainty.
Relevance 85·Dependency 70·Confidence 92
Source evidence
“Demand for aggregates products, particularly in the infrastructure construction market, has historically been negatively affected by federal and state budget challenges and uncertainty over future highway funding levels.”
Texas is among the top ten revenue-generating states; local construction spending and energy-sector cyclicality materially affect results.
Relevance 85·Dependency 70·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“particularly in our Building Materials business’ top ten revenue-generating states of Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, California, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona, Iowa and Minnesota”
Public infrastructure funding
Demand Driver
Profitability is sensitive to fluctuations in public-sector infrastructure funding; state financial health (S&P AA- or higher for top-ten states) guides expansion.
Relevance 85·Dependency 37·Confidence 92
Source evidence
“affected by fluctuations in public-sector infrastructure funding; interest rates; access to capital markets; and demographic, geographic, employment and population dynamics”
Natural gas
Raw Material Dependency
Businesses require continued supply of natural gas; price volatility or shortages raise costs and can disrupt operations.
Relevance 80·Dependency 75·Confidence 95
Source evidence
“Our businesses require a continued supply of diesel fuel, natural gas, coal, petroleum coke and other energy.”
Diesel fuel (petroleum-based)
Raw Material Dependency
Diesel fuel is a required energy input; prices influenced by global supply-demand, refining capacity and logistics constraints.
Relevance 80·Dependency 75·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“Our businesses require a continued supply of diesel fuel, natural gas, coal, petroleum coke and other energy.”
Interest rates and credit conditions
Demand Driver
Elevated interest rates, inflation and tightening credit can delay, downsize, or cancel construction projects, reducing materials demand.
Relevance 80·Dependency 70·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“could occur if companies and consumers are unable to obtain financing for construction projects or if consumer confidence continues to be eroded or affected by economic uncertainty”
Population growth and megaregions
Demand Driver
Company targets geographies near US megaregions; population growth/density drive heavy-side building materials consumption; presence in ten of 11 megaregions.
Relevance 80·Dependency 50·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“The Company has a meaningful presence in ten megaregions”
Weather and climate conditions
Cost Driver
Outdoor heavy-side operations are affected by precipitation, flooding, hurricanes, snowstorms, extreme temperatures, wildfires, earthquakes and droughts; Q1/Q4 winter weather, Q2/Q3 heavy precipitation and heat.
Relevance 75·Dependency 60·Confidence 93
Source evidence
“weather patterns, seasonal changes and other climate-related conditions ... can significantly affect production schedules, shipments, costs, efficiencies and profitability”
Clean Air Act
Regulatory Exposure
Federal transportation funding is tied to Clean Air Act compliance, and nonattainment designations cover many major Company markets, creating risk of delayed highway construction that drives aggregates demand.
Relevance 75·Dependency 60·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“Environmental groups have successfully challenged federal and certain state transportation departments under the Act, delaying highway construction in municipalities that are not in compliance.”
Prices and lead times for parts and contractor services can be volatile due to inflation, supply-chain disruptions and labor availability.
Relevance 70·Dependency 60·Confidence 92
Source evidence
“Prices and lead times for parts and contractor services can be volatile due to supply-chain disruptions, limited supplier alternatives, inflation, labor availability, and logistics constraints.”
Railroad carriers
Supplier Dependency
Rail-based distribution increases dependence on railroad performance (track congestion, crew/railcar/locomotive availability, shipping contract negotiations).
Relevance 70·Dependency 55·Confidence 92
Source evidence
“increases the Company’s dependence on and exposure to railroad performance, including track congestion, crew availability, railcar availability, locomotive availability”
U.S. Clean Air Act / GHG regulation
Cost Driver
Title V and PSD permitting plus potential GHG limitations could raise operating costs at cement and lime plants; company expects to pass costs to customers.
Relevance 70·Dependency 55·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“If future modifications to the Company's facilities require PSD review for other pollutants, GHG permitting requirements may be triggered and may require significant additional costs, which the Company would expect to be passed on to customers”
Interest rates and capital markets
Competitive Exposure
Construction cyclicality driven by interest rates and access to capital markets affects Building Materials profitability.
Relevance 70·Dependency 50·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“cyclical swings in construction spending, which are affected by fluctuations in levels of public-sector infrastructure funding; interest rates; access to capital markets”
Supply chain disruption
Cost Driver
Supply-chain disruptions drive volatile parts prices and lead times, increasing repair and maintenance costs and capex risk.
Relevance 65·Dependency 60·Confidence 92
Source evidence
“Prices and lead times for parts and contractor services can be volatile due to supply-chain disruptions, limited supplier alternatives, inflation, labor availability, and logistics constraints.”
California
Revenue Exposure
California operations face wildfire, mudslide and drought water-restriction risks that can impact production; also a top-ten revenue state.
Relevance 65·Dependency 55·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“our California operations face risks from Pacific storms, wildfires, mudslides and water use restrictions during periods of severe drought”
Interest rates and financing conditions
Demand Driver
Construction project delays/cancellations can occur if companies and consumers cannot obtain financing; interest rates are an impairment trigger.
Relevance 65·Dependency 55·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“delays to or cancellations of capital projects in the nonresidential and residential construction markets could occur if companies and consumers are unable to obtain financing for construction projects”
Coal is a required energy input; availability and pricing influenced by supply-demand dynamics, geopolitics and regulation.
Relevance 65·Dependency 55·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“Our businesses require a continued supply of diesel fuel, natural gas, coal, petroleum coke and other energy.”
USEPA Mandatory Greenhouse Gases Reporting Rule
Regulatory Exposure
Texas cement plant and Woodville, OH and Manistee, MI facilities are GHG reporters; potential future GHG legislation could raise operating costs at these operations.
Relevance 65·Dependency 45·Confidence 90
Source evidence
“Should Congress enact additional legislation limiting GHG emissions, these operations will likely be subject to such legislation.”
Data centers
Demand Driver
Sunbelt transportation-corridor locations attract technology companies building data centers, supporting construction materials demand.
Relevance 60·Dependency 30·Confidence 80
Source evidence
“technology companies view these areas as attractive locations for data centers”
Climate/energy regulation and clean energy projects
Demand Driver
New public transit and clean energy projects addressing climate change may increase demand for products; clinker-substitution standards could alter cement economics.
Relevance 50·Dependency 40·Confidence 80
Source evidence
“New public transit and clean energy projects that address climate change may also result in increased demand for the Company's products”