Rising fuel costs to squeeze cement makers Q1 earnings; margins under pressure

* Rising fuel and energy costs are expected to weigh on cement companies’ Q1 earnings, increasing production expenses and putting pressure on profitability. * Operating margins may contract as higher input costs—particularly coal/petcoke and logistics—could offset benefits from cement price hikes and cost-saving measures. * Key stocks in focus: $ULTRACEMCO , Ambuja Cements, ACC, Shree Cement, Dalmia Bharat and JK Cement; companies with better cost efficiency and captive/green energy capacity may be relatively better positioned.