Estapar Defies High Rates With Record Q1 2025 Revenue, Narrows Losses

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazilian parking infrastructure giant Estapar (ALPK3) reported robust first-quarter revenue growth despite persistent macroeconomic headwinds, according to company filings released Thursday.

The firm generated R$425.1 million ($70.9 million) in Q1 2025, marking a 15% year-over-year increase fueled by tariff adjustments and network expansion.

Executives attributed the performance to adding 32,200 parking spaces across 26 new operations while maintaining a near-zero client churn rate of 0.06%.

Digital services emerged as a key growth driver, processing 13.6 million transactions worth R$11.5 million ($1.9 million)-a 27.7% annual jump. The company's Zletric electric vehicle charging network nearly doubled its revenue to R$4.9 million ($817,000).

However, it remains a minor contributor, accounting for just 1.1% of total income. Traditional segments held strong, with rental operations climbing 15.4% and São Paulo 's Zona Azul parking permits surging 26.8%.



Operational efficiency gains proved critical as EBITDA rose 20% to R$77.2 million ($12.9 million), with margins expanding to 18.2%. EBIT skyrocketed 50.7% to R$34.2 million ($5.7 million) through disciplined cost management.
Estapar's Q1 Resilience Amid Debt Restructuring
These improvements narrowed quarterly net losses to R$2.6 million ($433,000), a stark contrast to the R$14.6 million ($2.4 million) deficit in Q1 2024.

Debt restructuring efforts reduced average borrowing costs to CDI +2.15% from CDI +2.78% last year, though interest expenses still consumed R$56 million ($9.3 million).

The company closed Q1 with R$218 million ($36.3 million) cash reserves against R$810 million ($135 million) net debt, maintaining a leverage ratio of 2.7x EBITDA.

Management confirmed prioritizing growth investments over near-term dividends, targeting further margin expansion through automation and EV infrastructure scaling.

While Q1 typically represents Estapar 's weakest period-accounting for 22-27% of annual revenue-the results signal resilience in Brazil's high-rate environment.

Analysts note the stock trades at 4.5x EV/EBITDA, below regional peers, as the firm positions for interest rate cuts and urban mobility trends.

Challenges persist in monetizing newer digital offerings and containing finance costs, but operational momentum suggests improving cash flow visibility through 2025.

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