Ad Ports Group today announced its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31st, 2025. Building on the momentum of 2024’s record financial performance, the Group started 2025 with double-digit growth from top-line to bottom-line, driven by the Ports, Economic Cities and Free Zones (EC&FZ), and Maritime and Shipping clusters.
In the first quarter of 2025, AD Ports Group recorded revenue of AED4.60 billion ($1.25 billion), marking an 18 percent year-on-year increase, driven by strong performance in Ports, Economic Cities and Free Zones, and Maritime and Shipping clusters.
Group EBITDA amounted to AED1.14 billion ($310.4 million) in Q1 2025, translating into a 9 percent YoY growth, driven by a 17 percent YoY increase in Ports, 10 percent YoY in Maritime and Shipping, and 7 percent YoY in Economic Cities and Free Zones (Group EBITDA Margin stood at 24.7 percent in Q1 2025).
Moreover, total net profit soared 16 percent YoY to AED464 million (126.3 million), mainly driven by the operating performance. Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the quarter stood at AED0.07, implying a 14 percent YoY increase.
CapEx and Operating Cash Flow
Capital expenditures (CapEx) for the first quarter of the year reached AED954 million, with the majority of cash outlays going into Economic Cities and Free Zones, Ports (including AED182 million going into new and renewal of ports concessions), and Maritime and Shipping assets. Capex intensity continued to decline, reaching 21 percent of Group revenue in Q1 2025, vs. 33 percent in Q1 2024.
Operating Cash Flow, which amounted to AED725 million in Q1 2025 compared with AED781 million in the same period in 2024, was primarily impacted by the timing of collections, and thus unfavourable working capital changes. As a result, Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF) was slightly negative for the quarter at AED -173 million.
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Navigating forward
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, managing director and group CEO, said, “The positive momentum from our record 2024 financial results continued into the first quarter of 2025, as our resilient and value-adding business ecosystem of interrelated trade, transport, and logistics businesses weathered prevailing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties to drive strong, double-digit growth in revenue and net profit.
Additionally, the Q1 solid growth was driven by our Ports, Economic Cities and Free Zones, and Maritime and Shipping clusters, which continue to benefit from our agile response to ongoing geopolitical crises and our ongoing investments in core infrastructure amidst our international expansion.”
He added, “In line with the vision of our wise leadership in the UAE, we will continue to follow this prudent, profit-enhancing ‘intelligent internationalisation’ strategy this year as we carefully navigate the turbulence around us to maintain course and position of AD Ports Group, and Abu Dhabi, as world leaders in sustainable trade, transport, logistics, and economic development, drawing on the latest AI and technology innovations.”
